Blind Spots
by YourGirlThursday
Summary: A collection of missing moments from Season 4. CaptainSwan with lots of the Charming Family. 4x10 (Fall): Killian averted his eyes and played with the tip of his hook. His fingers danced over the cool metal. Emma's superpower was the ability to spot a lie not to read minds, but in that instant she knew what Killian wanted to ask her.
1. 4x01: Netflix

**And I'm back! So this is going to be a collection of little missing scenes from each episode. This one is 4x01 and does contain spoilers for that episode. I'm not carrying anything over from Not a Day Will Go By if you read that. **

**Credit for the title of this story goes to Nouqueret. On my last story she said she liked that I was 'fill[ing] in the blind spots of the episode.' I thought that would make a great title.**

* * *

A small beam of light woke Killian up. It had filtered through an opening in the curtains and worked its way up to his face. He threw his arm over his eyes and groaned. He'd been having an excellent dream. In it he'd been kissing Emma. She was warm against the cold of the night and tasted like the cinnamon that always topped her cocoa. Killian could remember the feel of her mouth and silken weight of her hair in his hands. In his hazy, half asleep state it took him a moment to figure out why the dream had felt so vivid.

It was a memory. It had actually happened.

Killian turned that piece of information over in his head. He had kissed Emma Swan. They were moving toward some sort of relationship. Courting? Did they court in this world? They still had marriage. David and Mary Margaret were proof of that. The issue would be how they went about romantic relationships in this world.

Given his knowledge of The Land Without Magic, things had changed drastically since Killian had been an eligible bachelor. He'd been brought up to meet girls in crowded ballrooms or at the theatre. One had to wait to be introduced to a woman by a third party before speaking with her. Then the courting began which was as good as a marriage proposal. It involved outings with chaperones and a few stolen kisses, if the couple was lucky.

Killian couldn't see Emma agreeing to a chaperone or a declaration of intent. Emma was, with good reason, quite skittish when it came to relationships. She had been burned terribly by both Neal and Walsh. The impact of Neal's death didn't help matters either.

It seemed that Killian needed to do some research before he found Emma that morning. He went down to the diner to get some coffee with a side of advice. Luckily for him, Granny was there like he expected. She knew best what all was going on around town. Killian approached the woman and asked for two cups of coffee.

Granny grabbed two cups and a Sharpie from behind the counter. "I assume one is for you and the other for Emma?"

The smirk that emerged on her face when Killian nodded was downright wolfish. It was the first time he truly saw a resemblance between her and her granddaughter. Granny wrote their initials on the cups then filled them. She knew they both drank their coffee black, but it amused her to throw Killian off balance by labelling the cups.

"Anything else, Captain?" she asked.

Killian scratched the back of his head. "Yes. I was wondering if you would provide me with a bit of advice."

Granny raised an eyebrow. "Shoot. I've got things to do."

Killian assumed that meant he should start talking rather than pulling out his pistol. "I wanted to spend some time alone with Emma, but I don't know what activities are popular in this realm."

Granny's face contorted with mirth. "You're asking me to help you plan a date?"

"I suppose so. What is that?"

Granny sighed at how clueless he seemed. "It's an activity couples do together, usually out of the house, but they can be at her place too."

"Aye. That's what I want," Killian told her.

Granny peered over her glasses at him. "And you're asking _me_ for help?"

"You seem like a woman who has her finger on the pulse of what goes on around town. I'm sure you have some ideas."

Granny started polishing some drinking glasses. "There's really not much to do in Storybrooke. You could go for a picnic or out to dinner. Some people even neck in public places though like the patios of their favorite diner though."

The pointed tone in her voice and context clues let Killian connect the dots that 'neck' and 'kiss' were one and the same. And that Granny had spied him and Emma the previous night. Ruby started wiping down the counter in front of Killian.

"Neck? Really Granny?" Ruby wrinkled her nose at her grandmother's choice of words.

"Do you have any better ideas?" Granny challenged.

Ruby smirked. "I usually just hang out at The Rabbit Hole. There's tons of booze and pool. I've seen the way you two drink. You can't go wrong."

Killian weighed that option, but decided that might not be best for a first venture out. The last time they were at a bar together she'd left with Past Hook. Plus, he associated bars with the kinds of places he frequented back in the Enchanted Forest. Those taverns were full of dark corners. It was a place where you picked up a barmaid, bedded her, and left all on the same day. That wasn't what Killian wanted from their first date. It wasn't just sentimentality, but respect that made him want to take her someplace else for their first date.

Later on, they could definitely get drunk before going back to Emma's to participate in certain private activities. Not just yet though.

"I'm not so sure about that, lass," Killian told Ruby.

Her reaction was to shrug and continue wiping down the counter.

"What about a movie?" A voice behind Killian offered.

Killian turned around to find the owner of the suggestion. She was a blonde woman with big, blue eyes. A toddler sat in a highchair next to her. Killian remembered Emma telling him that she was once Cinderella, but that her name was now Allison. Amanda? Ashley?

It was something that started with an 'a.'

"My husband and I don't get a lot of time together so we usually just sit on the couch and watch Netflix," Cinderella offered.

"And make out!" Ruby called from across the diner.

Cinderella narrowed her eyes jokingly at Ruby and covered her child's ears. "Yes, and make out. Emma would probably feel more comfortable with that anyway. Then she doesn't have to worry about gossip or what people think of you guys together. It'll take a lot of the pressure off and just keep it to you two."

Killian mulled it over for a moment. This Netflix thing sounded great if it led to kissing. Killian thanked the ladies for the coffee and advice. He nearly toppled over Henry as he exited the door. The lad was barreling up the steps with his mother right after him.

"Oh sorry, Killian. Mom and I were just racing." Henry looked over his shoulder with a smile. "I win so she has to buy me a large cocoa instead of a small."

Killian smiled at Emma and offered her the holder Ruby had put the cups in. "You have excellent timing, Swan. I was just on my way to give you this."

Emma smiled tightly. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere than there at that moment. Killian frowned, wondering what the problem was. Then he noticed Henry's questioning gaze. She hadn't told the boy and didn't want him to know. Was that it?

"Thanks. We're just on our way to my parents' place then Regina's office. She wasn't home when we dropped by."

Killian saw his opportunity and took it. "I could accompany you both, if you'd like."

Henry beamed and told Killian 'yes' just as Emma blurted out that it wasn't a good idea.

"We'd find her quicker if we split up. Our next stop was going to be her mausoleum of evil magical artifacts. You could check that for us, if you wanted to help."

Killian smiled at the both of them. "I'd be happy to oblige you. Where will you be afterward?"

Emma shrugged. "Not sure, but listen we really need to get breakfast. My mom and dad are really sleep deprived and hungry so we have to get back soon. Thanks for the coffee."

Emma practically shoved Henry through the diner door. He shot her a funny look, but stumbled into the diner nonetheless.

Killian stared after them bewildered. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he'd get to the bottom of it. Finishing her request seemed like the quickest excuse he could get for seeing Emma again. He'd have to single her out and discuss things when they saw each other next.

* * *

Killian stared at the ceiling in his room. He was nearly exhausted from the boredom of the last several hours. He started his day chasing monsters with his lady love, but once she left to take care of Regina nothing else happened.

Killian tried sketching on some of the paper he found at the B&amp;B, but he failed to find a subject (that wasn't Emma) that captured his attention. Stacks of half started forms were piled precariously around his room. He'd gone through somewhere close to fifty of them in his quest for something exciting to do.

A strange noise started coming from a plastic object on the nightstand. Killian picked up the top of it in his hand. He could hear Emma's voice coming faintly from one end. He narrowed his eyes. It was like one of those cell phones everyone excluding him seemed to have.

"Killian, are you there?"

Killian could tell Emma was nearly shouting, but he could barely hear her. He put the end that her voice was coming from against his ear.

"Aye, Swan. I'm just trying to figure out how to work this infernal device."

Emma's laughter was muffled. Killian pictured her holding her hand in front of her mouth to keep everything in check. He stood up and tried to pace the room, but the curly cord attaching the phone to its base kept him mostly stationary.

"I was just calling to see if you wanted to meet me at Granny's tomorrow for coffee?" Emma asked.

Killian's heart lurched to a stop. She was trying. For him. She was attempting to overcome whatever obstacle stood between them. Hope coursed through his veins like bubbles in that soda Henry was always drinking.

"I would be honored," Killian said simply. It would be easy to tease her about changing her mind or such, but he wanted her too badly. The last thing he wanted to do was make it hard for her to come to him.

"Seven?"

Emma's voice pulled him back to the present.

"I'll be there."

Killian stared at a water stain on the nightstand. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say now. He let the silence hang there. Maybe Emma had already left the conversation. At what point did he return the phone to its holder? Two minutes? Five?

"Killian?" Emma asked tentatively.

He smiled. She hadn't left.

"Aye."

Emma cleared her throat. "If you want, we can keep talking. You could tell me about your day?"

Killian went on to describe the various drawings he started earlier. Many of them were of random pieces of bric-a-brac that Granny had in the B&amp;B. There were bookcases, snowglobes, and little figurines scribbled in the margins of the papers.

Emma was in the middle of telling Killian about Prince Neal's adventures today when Henry interrupted. Killian couldn't hear what the boy was saying, but he heard Emma's replies. They were slightly stifled. Killian assumed she had her hand over the receiver.

"No…maybe some other time…because I said so…fine he has to wake up early for a very important appointment so he can't be out late...I'll tell him."

There was some noise on the other line before Emma came back.

"Hey sorry about that. Henry wanted me to invite you over to watch Netflix with us."

Killian frowned. "That's strange."

Emma chuckled. "He thinks you're cool. It's probably the pirate thing."

"Of course the lad is impressed by my previous life of piracy. I was referring to the fact that he requested my presence to watch Netflix with you both. I was under the impression that there was kissing involved with that. Does he really want to witness that?"

Emma choked on her own spit. It took her a moment to regain her ability to speak.

"Who told you that? Was it David?"

"Cinderella and Ruby," Killian stated.

Emma snorted. "I'm not surprised."

"So you never answered my question. Does this Netflix truly lead to kissing?" Killian asked again.

Emma laughed. "If you're so curious we'll eventually find some time for you to come over and see. Just not yet."

Killian smiled at the idea. "Whenever you're ready, Swan."

* * *

**This chapter went through a lot of changes in one day. Originally I wanted to do something with Killian talking with Henry post-episode, but Ltb16 did such an awesome job with that in her newest update to Chinese Food and a Movie that I decided to switch gears. I chose to use Ruby not quite explaining Netflix because it seemed like Killian knew that would be a fun time even if he didn't know what exactly it was. I love the idea of Killian getting dating advice. And then as I was taking a break from editing I read Once Upon a Whim's Avoidance Tactics which was also fabulous, but had a couple of similarities to what I had written (notably Ruby explaining Netflix and Killian getting bored with all of Granny's books). I would've felt uncomfortable posting my chapter because there was such an overlap there so I distanced mine by adding Granny and Ashley and having Killian draw instead of read. Hopefully it still works.  
**

**The preview for next week makes it seem like there will be some choice CS moments/feels. I predict a lot of fics will be written based off of it :)  
**


	2. 4x02: Bodyheat

**Ah! This story got so much love. Special thank you to no cure for crazy, PurpleDreamer99, Nouqueret, Once Upon a Whim, and LexieMcSteamy for reviewing. Also, thank you to the absurd number of people who favorited/followed. I'm blown away, you all.**

**So this is really long because I have a lot of feelings about this episode. Spoilers for 4x02 FYI.**

* * *

Elsa stared at the shivering woman before her. Emma's general wellbeing had taken a severe nosedive. One moment they were talking about the pressure they felt, the next Emma was on the ground, a few shaky breaths from death.

Growing up in Arendelle gave Elsa an understanding of how exposure and hypothermia presented themselves. Emma's blue lips and struggle to breathe were indications that she was nearly at the end. Keeping her awake was the one thing Elsa could do to help. Emma's will seemed strong and at that point it could make all the difference between life and death.

"Emma, stay with me," Elsa pleaded. She shook Emma's arm, trying to jolt her new friend awake.

Emma's eyes fluttered shut. Elsa's chin wobbled slightly. She had done this. Her parents were right about how dangerous her powers were. She hadn't meant to harm Emma, but she'd done it with her impulsiveness.

Elsa reached for the black box Emma had been using to communicate with her father and the pirate. It surprised Elsa that Emma's father looked nearly her own age, but she had ice powers so really who was she to judge how magic worked. Elsa wasn't sure what the pirate's relationship with Emma was, but he clearly felt strongly for her. The way he called her name before the ice wall collapsed and on the black box were heartbreaking.

"He's never going to forgive himself."

Emma's whisper was thready, but it meant she was still clinging to life. Elsa clutched the black box in both hands. She almost didn't notice the way her fingers dug into the 'talk' button, the slightest pressure would allow everything to be heard by the others. She pulled back not wanting to project Emma's confession.

"My dad won't either, but my mom will convince him that he should. Their love can accomplish anything. They have each other and Neal and Henry. He knows I love him. Killian though…"

Emma's voice trailed off with a deep breath. Elsa feared it might be her last.

"He keeps sacrificing everything for me. He's followed me across realms and time. I've watched my parents before and wondered how it would feel to be loved like that, to deserve that kind of love. They're partners in all things. And I see that potential with Killian, but instead of taking the chance, I keep him at an arm's length and avoid him. I don't know how to love or be loved that unconditionally."

Emma's eyes open enough that she could make eye contact with Elsa. Her words were difficult to understand because she was shuddering.

"The other day I teased him about wanting to see what was on Netflix. Now it's all I want: sweatpants, blankets, a movie, and cuddling up on the couch with him. I would give anything right now for that. I would…"

Emma's eyes fell closed and her blue lips pressed themselves back together. Elsa let go of the black box. She barely registered the hiss that came out of it when she laid the item down. Her hands wrapped around Emma's shoulders.

"Wake up, Emma."

Elsa shook Emma harder than she intended to. She realized it was because she was shaking as well. Her lungs spasmed just as her throat clogged up. Tears she didn't notice forming made their way down her face.

Elsa knew Emma was fading fast. It was unlikely she would wake back up unless she was moved to someplace warmer. A cavern opened in Elsa's stomach at the thought of telling the others about Emma. It was now a strong possibility that Emma would never emerge from this ice prison alive. Elsa's thumb went back and forth over the button she was supposed to press. How was she going to tell these men that their loved one was inches from dying? How would they take hearing it from the woman whose fault it was?

A part deep inside Elsa, one she was deeply ashamed of, wondered that if Emma were to die, would these men still help find Anna.

Elsa willed herself to be strong enough to make the call, but she knew they would never understand her between the static and the tears. She would need to calm down enough and she wasn't there just yet.

* * *

Hook threw himself into David's car before the prince could even open his own door. The pirate clutched the walkie talkie to his chest, cradling it as though it were something precious. David knew it was to him though. It was his lifeline to Emma. If she needed him, if she wanted to talk, it was the only way they could communicate.

It was the only way they could say goodbye if…

David shook his head to clear out any of his less than hopeful thoughts. He needed to focus on the task at hand. It was the only thing that could save his daughter.

"You know that's police property," David stated. His eyes were on his hands as they fiddled with the keys in the ignition. The car roared to life. David quickly reversed it and barreled toward town.

"Do you truly believe I care about that at this moment?" Hook asked in irritation.

"Just a reminder that it's extremely nice of me to let you have that."

The comment was lighthearted, but the set of David's mouth made it clear that he was feeling anything but. His daughter was trapped in an ice cave, and their failure meant she was in danger.

"Thank you. I hope you know I'm going to everything in my power to get her back."

David kept his eyes on the road, but found a way to scrutinize Hook all the same. "You've demonstrated that before."

Hook rolled shoulders. "In case you missed the point of our discussion earlier, I am letting Emma set our pace. I intend to be whomever she needs in whatever capacity she requires. If she can only offer me friendship, I will be utterly devastated, but respect her wishes. If she merely wants a physical relationship, I'd give her that as well. She's a grown woman and can make her own decisions."

David's eyes narrowed at the idea of Hook and Emma having some kind of friends with benefits situation. He understood the point of what Hook was driving at though. Emma, not Hook, would define the relationship. It was unfair to blame him when he was doing whatever Emma wanted. That wasn't what David was questioning though. He wanted to know the depth of Hook's feelings. He'd seen evidence of something strong, but he wanted to hear it from Hook how dedicated he was to Emma. Hook had confessed his feelings long ago to David, but as another man and David needed to hear it again, knowing now that it was Hook talking.

"But what do _you_ want? And if you say 'whatever she's willing to give you' I may punch you in the face."

Hook let out a frustrated sigh. "You already know, but I shall tell you again. True Love is what I want from Emma, for Emma. I want to be her everything, not unlike your relationship with Snow White."

David can hear the unspoken titles Hook wants from that declaration: husband, father of her children, etc. He may not entirely approve of Hook, but his disdain lessened every day. At the rate it was going, he might even like this guy in a few months' time.

Maybe.

* * *

Killian walked toward the front door of the Chop Shop. He'd passed the store on multiple occasions, but never had a reason to go inside before. Now with David he had tracked down some demented shepherdess there and stolen her magical crook.

Elsa's voice was muffled slightly by static as it came through the walkie talkie.

"Emma passed out. She's still breathing, but I don't think she has much time left. The cold, it's too much for her."

Killian stared at the device, marveling at how such a small object could tear such a large hole in his heart. Telling David was hard, but necessary. They took off immediately for the ice wall. David's car went faster than any Storybrooke vessel Killian had ever been in. Killian handed over the walkie talkie as they parked. David knew the sister and would be their best bet for Emma's survival. It shattered Killian that Emma was dying and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

And then David did it. He talked Elsa into freeing Emma.

Emma crawled straight into arms, which was just as well because Killian would've torn her from David's arms. Holding her, touching her was how he was reassuring himself that she was alive. A small corner of Killian was delighted that she seemed to be doing the same thing.

Killian lifted her in his arms, cradling her body against his. Emma looped her arms under one shoulder and over the other to steady herself as they went down the ice wall. Killian shifted her weight some so he could see better

"Let me know if my hook gets in the way. I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm so numb I probably wouldn't notice anyway." Emma chuckles breathlessly at the unamused look on Killian's face. "Joke. You're doing fine."

They made their way to the car without falling across the ice. Killian gently set Emma down so he could open the passenger door of the car. Emma frowned at it.

"Can't we sit in the back seat? Elsa can sit up front with David."

Killian's heart soared at that. He wasn't used to Emma trying to get close to him, thinking of them as a 'we.'

Emma climbed in the backseat, stopping in the middle. Killian went in after her. He'd barely arranged himself when Emma swung herself across his lap. Her feet sat between Killian's thigh and the door. She moved around a bit before deciding that she should be facing the opposite direction. They adjusted themselves until Emma's back could rest along the door with Killian's thighs bracketed by Emma's butt and heels. Her knees were pressing into the middle of his rib cage while her head nestled in the space between his neck and shoulder. Her arms wrapped tightly around his midsection. Killian was unsure of how he should respond to this closeness. He decided that for right now he would give in to his impulse to hold her as near as he could.

"So warm," Emma murmured. "I feel like a vampire only instead of stealing blood, I'm stealing your warmth."

Killian would've laughed if he wasn't still worried about her. "Do you want my coat? I should've offered it to you straightaway, but I didn't think about it. I can get it off now if you'd like."

Emma buried her face deeper into Killian, her nose chilling his collarbone. "Don't move."

Killian sighed as David opened the door to the backseat. He raised a sardonic eyebrow at the sight of his daughter curled into Killian's lap.

"You two doing okay?" David asked.

"Can she borrow your jacket, mate? It would be hard to remove mine in our current configuration." Killian gestured to Emma snuggling closer to him.

David looked like he wanted to make some sort of protective, fatherly comment. He held himself in check and shucked off his jacket.

"Here. We'll be home soon and get you some blankets, sweetheart. I'm glad you're alright."

David carefully draped the jacket around Emma. She fisted her hands into it, pulling it close. David dropped a quick kiss on her head before shutting the door. Elsa and David took their seats and the four were soon on their way. David called Henry on the way over to fill him in and get him to start piling up the blankets for Emma. Mary Margaret had sent a text saying as soon as she got the power working that she would be home. David decided not to worry her for the moment and wait to tell her about Emma.

When they arrived at the apartment, Emma waited for David to get out first so he could help her out. She teetered slightly on her feet as he threw his jacket around her shoulders. Killian offered to carry her or stabilize her, whichever she thought best. Surprising everyone, Emma asked to be carried again.

Before Killian reached the final step, Henry flung the door open. He had already set up a chair in the living room with stacks of blankets nearby. Killian carefully set Emma down on the floor. She practically flopped into the chair. Her strength was nearly gone. Killian rearranged David's jacket, pulling it tighter around her frame. He made a move to grab one of the many blankets Henry had out. Emma grabbed his forearm tugged on it gently.

"Stay."

Killian wasn't sure what exactly that word was. A plea? A request? A command? All he knew was that he would do whatever Emma asked of him. He sank down to the floor, kneeling beside the chair Emma was seated in. Emma's hand fluttered around Killian's arm. He had no idea what she was doing, but figured it out when her cold hand latched onto his wrist. He gently turned his hand so that it clasped hers. As Elsa, Henry, and David settled the blankets around her Emma interlaced her fingers with Killian's. She made a point of squeezing his hands to emphasize that she was choosing to hold hands this way.

Killian had been with many women and even loved one, but that moment, that touch, felt like the most intimate touch he'd ever shared with someone.

* * *

It shocked Emma that her father offered Killian a place to stay that night. Things would be crowded enough in the Nolan household. Baby Neal slept with his parents in the downstairs bedroom. Henry had an air mattress in Emma's room upstairs that he usually slept on. Tonight, however, Elsa was going to sleep on that downstairs while Henry shared Emma's bed with her. That left the impossibly tiny, green couch or one of the many arm chairs for Killian. Neither option seemed appealing. He didn't even blink twice at the couch. It was half his height so his legs would rest over the end of the couch. It didn't seem like it would be comfortable, but he said that he'd slept under worse conditions. He was sticking around because he didn't want to leave her, comfort be damned.

The thought chipped away again at the walls around Emma's heart. She missed him already even though they were under the same roof. Emma waited for Henry's breathing to even out. Once he was asleep, Emma swiped one of the many blankets she had and tiptoed downstairs.

Killian's eyes were closed, but he seemed too tense to be sleeping. As Emma approached he opened one eye. The rest of his body lay immobile.

"Oh good. You're awake," Emma whispered. "I wouldn't want you to wake up, confused."

"Why would I be confused?" Killian asked.

Emma explained by gingerly sitting on the couch. She arranged herself so her head rested just below the hollow in Killian's throat. Emma fluffed her blanket so it covered the two of them. She ran her fingers down his arm, tracing patterns on his skin.

Killian made some sort of noise that Emma had difficulty deciphering.

"Were you cold?"

The slight tremble in his voice tells Emma how crucial her answer is to him. It's strange to her that she has so much power over him.

"That's not why I'm here, if that's what you're asking."

Killian's hand moved to rest along Emma's back. He trailed it along the ridges of her spine.

"Is that so?"

Emma leaned further into his body.

"It is."

Killian's arms drew Emma closer to his body.

"This feels so strange."

Emma stiffened, not sure how to interpret that comment. Was this his way of backing off? After all this time and waiting, he chose now to end things?

"I'm not used to being affectionate with you. I say things and I get to look at you and do things for you, but I never really get to touch you. It's all I want to do sometimes. Tangle my fingers in your hair. Run my fingers along you cheek. Hold your hand. Have my arm around you. Just being this close to you is something I desperately wanted, but never thought I could initiate. I try to let you take the lead on that sort of thing."

As Killian lists each way he wants to touch Emma, he shows her as well. They're all fairly chaste actions, but each touch warms Emma to the tips of her toes. She nuzzles further into his chest, placing a few light kisses as she goes.

"I don't think this is what your parents had in mind when they let me stay over, love."

Emma shrugs as best as she can. "They can take it as a statement. I like you enough to join you on the uncomfortable as hell couch when I have a bed upstairs. I'm an adult."

Emma could practically hear Killian smile. Somehow this conversation was so much easier in the dark when she couldn't look him in the eye, gauge his reactions.

"That you are," Killian agreed.

"Plus, seriously like we're going to have sex on this couch when it's out in the open? That's a stretch. I doubt even Henry will be weirded out by this."

Killian laughed and kissed the top of Emma's head. "As much as I'm enjoying this, it's been a very long day and I think we should both sleep."

Emma yawned and burrowed deeper into Killian's chest. "You may have a point. Good night."

Killian is hers if she wants him.

And Emma's nearly ready to collect.

* * *

Mary Margaret's eyes shot open at the sound of Neal's shrieking. A glance at the clock confirmed that it was an unholy hour that her son was waking her up at. Mary Margaret shuffled as quickly as she could over to the little prince. She picked him up and went into the kitchen, humming to try to keep his screams at bay.

There were a lot of people trying to sleep in the apartment. It was tempting to let him wake everyone. Misery did love company, but Mary Margaret was feeling magnanimous even if it was 3AM.

She heard rustling coming from the living room as she entered the kitchen. A bleary eyed Emma emerged from the shadows. Mary Margaret felt a smirk pull at the corner of her mouth. That's definitely not where her daughter started her night. She knew nothing too sexy happened. That couch was damned impossible to navigate during sex. David and she tried it several times without much luck. It was too short and was at an awkward incline. Plus, Mary Margaret knew that the lack of a door and lock would keep them at bay. Emma would never have sex anywhere Henry could blunder into. Mary Margaret supposed that was her fault for the awkwardness of taco night.

"He hungry?" Emma gestured at her brother. Her inability to use complete sentences was telling of how asleep she still was.

"Yes."

Mary Margaret unbuttoned the top of her nightshirt and unsnapped her nursing bra. She held her son up so he would feed.

Emma looked uneasily behind her. She positioned herself so she could see the couch Killian was currently sleeping on.

"Are you seriously worried that your boyfriend is going to see my boobs before he sees yours?"

"Mom," Emma hissed in embarrassment.

"I'm too tired to care, but I'll turn around if you want me to."

Emma groaned and put her head in her hands. "I can't wait until you're fully rested all the time."

"You and me both. Being blunt and unfunny is weird."

Neal chose that moment to stop feeding. He pulled back so Mary Margaret threw a cloth over her shoulder and started to burp him.

"So your father told me something interesting tonight."

Emma made a noise that Mary Margaret interpreted as 'go on.'

"He thinks Killian is in love with you."

Emma's eyes widened. She started to talk, but Mary Margaret continued on conversationally. "It's interesting that he's just noticing that and isn't sure. I've known for months. Henry was shipping you guys before he even got his memories back. The man tried to break the ice wall down two separate times with just his hook. If that's not love I don't know what is. No wonder it finally got through to your father."

"I'm not hearing this. You must be a crazy dream or something."

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes. "We all approve by the way, not that you need our approval, but it's nice to have."

Neal chose that moment to burp loudly. Mary Margaret wiped his mouth and set down the cloth.

"See even your brother likes him."

Mary Margaret patted Emma's shoulder as she passed. Her daughter looked mortified, but Mary Margaret was pleased with their talk. She'd given some good advice to her daughter and fed her baby.

Apparently she was more efficient at 3AM.

* * *

**I had way too much fun with this one. So many POV's! Fun facts: originally Killian heard Emma and Elsa. I realized that with where I set it that his expression when they get the crook makes zero sense :( Emma is wearing David's jacket when they pile the blankets on her, but we never saw how she got it. Mary Margaret looks so unconcerned walking in the door so I tried to explain that away. And obviously I had to address the world's most adorable hand holding.**

**I hope you all enjoyed this! Hopefully next week has as much stuff for me to play with :)**


	3. 4x03: Ice Sorceress

**Many, many thanks to general zargon, Nouqueret, moni1028, onetreefan, LexieMcSteamy, and TashaRose for reviewing. A huge thanks to everyone who favorited and followed as well. This story has been receiving so much love and I really appreciate it!**

* * *

Killian tried not to let his irritation show. He wanted to be on the front line fighting next to Emma. Instead he was being relegated to the task of babysitter.

Again.

At least keeping Henry safe from the Wicked Witch had seemed like a great and noble task. Killian was deemed a strong enough protector that Emma trusted her son's safety with him. Watching over Elsa to protect her from the likes of Leroy and Granny? Not so much. If things continued in this fashion soon he would become the nanny for Neal while Mary Margaret ran the town.

This role was particularly frustrating because he'd spent the last three hundred years running toward danger. He sailed through the biggest storms, provoked the most terrible foes, and made enemies on every shore. Emma's request not only kept him from fighting, but it also forced him to actively stay away from danger.

Killian noticed David and Mary Margaret discussing something softly. The prince left shortly, dropping a quick kiss on the foreheads of his wife and son. Their relationship was what Killian wanted to use as a blueprint for his with Emma. The Charmings were partners in all things. On Neverland, Killian admired how they had each other's back and fought together, trusting in the other person's strength implicitly. They still had rough patches, but for the most part they worked as an efficient machine.

Mary Margaret's talking device chimed. She pulled it out of her pocket and checked it, cradling Neal with her other hand. She read something on the screen that made her smile then returned the object to her pocket.

"David's going with Emma. She's not happy, but at least she has backup," Mary Margaret said. Her attention was on Neal, but Killian could tell that he was the intended recipient of that message.

"Well then maybe she'll live to save us another day," Regina snarked from where she was examining Marian.

Killian made his decision then. He would go his own way to find the person that had frozen Marian. He figured the more working to solve the problem, the quicker things would go. In the worst case scenario he would merely contact her with his talking device. All he had to do was press the green button on it to talk with Emma. It summoned her if he pressed the button first and answered her summons if the device made noise. He'd taken to calling it the "Emma" button because it was green like her eyes and no matter what it would put her in contact with him. It was like magic. For all Killian understood of her explanation of how it worked, the item was the realm's version of magical.

Killian put his hand on Elsa's back and gently nudged her toward the door. "We should go."

They were nearly out the door when Regina yelled for them to wait. She had Robin's knife in her hand and was using it to cut a piece of Marian's hair. Regina handed the length of frosted hair to Elsa.

"You melted part of your ice wall, right? It's possible you're able to undo this spell too. Use this to practice undoing while you're held up at the sheriff's station."

Killian winced, knowing then what his best course of action would be. The Crocodile would be the best person to identify the practitioner of ice magic.

The trick would be getting him to do it.

* * *

Emma plowed her hand through her hair. She didn't need to run into a dead end this early on in her investigation. Will Scarlet, a thief that hadn't possessed even half of Emma's skill, had escaped arrest. The Dairy Queen, Emma's uncharitable and snarky nickname for the ice sorceress, was still out and around Storybrooke without leaving a trace of her whereabouts.

She charged toward Granny's, nearly leaving David in the dust. Emma ignored his attempts to call after her. Her hand rested on the handle of the door, when David threw his body against the door to keep it closed.

David panted slightly. "You left your phone. Killian called."

Emma snatched the phone from David's hand. She looked at the display and saw that there was a voicemail. She put the phone on speaker so David could hear as well.

At first Emma was annoyed, thinking that Killian was merely bored. Her heart stuttered to a stop when she heard that he'd found the ice sorceress though. Emma ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She tried to be more mindful of logs and other obstacles, but most of her brain was devoted to being absolutely terrified for Killian. This was the exact situation she was trying to avoid. Her mind kept tripping over the same phrase.

_Not. Him._

_Not. Him. _

It repeated over and over again in an endless refrain. It was like a command and a plea rolled into one. Those two words propelled Emma to run faster. She slid to a stop in front of Killian and the others. She didn't notice David had kept up with her until she nearly knocked him over.

Emma's anger was tempered by confusion when the ice sorceress called her name. She couldn't figure out how they might know each other. As soon as the woman challenged her Emma remembered that the woman had been in the middle of threatening her Killian.

That was unacceptable.

Emma hoped that her magic didn't fail her. Killian's life was on the line. She thought about him and channeled her need for him to be safe. Protecting him was as natural as breathing to her. Her magic struck true and knocked the other woman flat on her ass.

Emma watched as David tried to release Killian from his ice restraints. It seemed like he was more likely to gouge a hole in his ankle than free him. Emma wasn't sure she could help melt the ice or that her magic wouldn't make the situation worse.

Then she saw the icicles descend. They'd gore Killian and David in a heartbeat.

Emma flung out her arms, hoping that she would help rather than harm. Both men were safe. The adrenaline that had been fueling Emma died out. It left her feeling weak and shaky. It was hard to focus on finding a trail. Her thoughts volleyed between being upset about Killian's brush with death and the ice sorceress knowing her name.

She wasn't sure how to handle all of her confusion and relief so she ended up yelling at Killian. As soon as she was done, she felt the guilt creep in. It occurred to her, she would've done the exact same thing he did.

* * *

It takes a few moments for Emma to realize how dangerous things were for her in that moment.

She was standing in the middle of the road, completely distracted by Killian's mouth. A semi-truck could barrel down the street, and she wouldn't notice until it had run them both over.

Emma pulled back slightly, separating their mouths. "We should move."

Killian took that as an instruction to trail his mouth across her jawline and down her neck. Emma smiled in spite of herself. She allowed him to continue for a few moments, enjoying every second.

Emma put her hands on his arms and gently removed herself from his embrace. "We really should pick a different spot to stand."

Killian smiled wickedly. "So this is a comma, not a full stop?"

Emma's pulse sped up. She was done with him flirting and her not responding in kind. It was time to stop holding herself back from doing what she wanted to do. Starting now she would touch him, kiss him, just _be_ around him whenever she felt the urge. She'd let herself have that in the aftermath of the cave-in. It was an indulgence she allowed because she almost died. Now, she would give in to any impulse she had toward him.

Emma removed Killian's flask from his pocket and took a sip from it. "Sure and we could have that drink you offered me. I know you're fond of our table in front of Granny's, but I really don't want to be where other people are." At Killian's fallen face she quickly backpedals. "I don't want to get interrupted."

This seemed to mollify Killian. He wound a strand of blonde hair around his fingers.

"Where do you suggest? Not your place I assume."

Emma shook her head. "Too many people. Not your place either."

_We'll be spending a lot of time there eventually. _Emma wanted to add, but didn't want to verbalize that thought just yet.

Killian nodded, not quite understanding but willing to go along with it. "Not the woods. We don't want to run into that ice woman."

"Not the Rabbit Hole. Too crowded," Emma countered.

Killian stopped to think. Emma could pinpoint the exact moment he came up with an idea. One eyebrow shot up in invitation and a smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth.

"The beach. It's quiet, romantic, and no one will think to bother us there."

Emma kissed him quickly. "Perfect."

It usually was about a twenty minute walk to the beach from Granny's. Between Emma stealing kisses and Killian's need to hold her close it took them nearly three times as long to make it.

Then again Emma expected nothing less from a thief and a pirate.

* * *

**Just a warning, I'm going out of town and will be unable to take my laptop with me next week. It's probable that I won't get anything posted after the next episode. I'll try to double post after episode 5 to make up for it. I'm sure there will be lots of awesome stuff written next week though between the date and his hand!**


	4. 4x05: Male Bonding

**Important note: this will be a 4x05 chapter. I'll post a 4x04 one later this week, which will make things confusing. Sorry! I want to take a peek at what all got written last week so I don't retread the same ground as others. I have ideas for a couple of things though. Thank you all for being patient with me!**

**Immense thanks to LexieMcSteamy, moni1028, onetreefan, Dina C, Im a Castle fan, Nouqueret, pinkcat4569, fangirlmum4ever, Ltb16, titoune1206, and Morta for reviewing! Also, to all the people who favorited/followed. Seriously, this is tied for the most alerts I've ever had for a fic, which is super awesome.**

* * *

Henry flopped down at the kitchen table. He watched his mom weave in between his grandparents as she made breakfast while they tended to Neal. There was a close moment where Henry's hot chocolate almost had baby powder, instead of cinnamon, sprinkled on it. Henry blamed that on the conversation Emma was having over the phone with her boyfriend.

It still weirded Henry out a little that his mom was dating someone. In the abstract it was great. Emma was happier therefore Henry was happier. The problem was that seeing them together was really strange. Emma barely touched Killian when Henry was around. When she did, it was in such a stiff, formal way that it made Henry uncomfortable. He wasn't sure if he'd be more okay with them if they were affectionate like his grandparents though. There was oftentimes too much kissing going on with those two.

Henry had to admit though that the awkwardness he felt was nothing compared to how awful it was being around his other mother and Robin. She was so hurt and unhappy. It killed him to see her that upset. He knew his presence helped some, but it was hard sometimes to be around her while she was that devastated. Plus, all she currently did now was throw herself into studying her magic books. It was fun in the beginning to learn about magic, but that had lost its appeal quickly. All Henry did was slow her down. He figured the best way to fix her heart was by helping find the Snow Queen so she could reverse things.

It helped some that Henry preferred working with a happy, yet totally weird mom to an absolutely heartbroken mom. At least with Emma there'd be some sort of action.

It sounded like Henry would get to help out in the sheriff's office that day. He perked up as Emma was explaining that to Killian. Today would be the perfect day to firm up Operation Dragon (because dragons breathe fire, which melts ice of course) as the name for their endeavor.

It seemed like the day would be great, odd dating stuff aside.

Or so he thought.

"Killian, we talked about this. Running around the forest isn't the most productive way to find the Snow Queen. Poring over the records from the archives will give us some idea of where to find her," Emma explained

Henry felt his heart sink. Looking at files all day? That would be the worst day of police work ever. He wanted to go stakeout the ice cream shop or patrol the ice wall. Henry groaned internally. His other options were to hang out in the crypt with magical stuff or watch his grandmother fret over leaving her baby for an hour.

Emma shifted her phone to the other ear. "You know, Henry isn't complaining. My thirteen year old son is being more mature about this than my 300 year old boyfriend. _He_ understands that good police work is more than just running around, guns a blazing."

Henry sighed. Doing boring things while listening to his mom fight with her boyfriend was not how he wanted to spend the day. He'd rather be outside running around town or the forest.

Or the docks.

"Mom, Killian said he'd take me sailing again. Why don't we go today? If you don't really need us."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "You want to go sailing with Killian today?"

An excited buzzing noise caused Emma to pull her phone from her ear. Henry felt a bit smug as he heard just how much Killian approved of his plan.

"Well okay then. If you're sure then I don't have a problem with it. Can you still pick up that box from the archives for me? You can drop it off then swing by to pick up Henry. He'll call Regina for her approval and if she doesn't want you guys sailing then you can find something else to do."

Henry beamed at his mother. His day was looking up significantly. Killian was a really cool guy. Without Emma around he wouldn't be holding back and trying to keep the awkward down. Plus, sailing was awesome and Henry could use more Enchanted Forest skills.

Emma left the apartment soon after she got off the phone with Killian. When she was halfway out the door, she reminded Henry to clear sailing with Regina before Killian arrived.

"Sounds like your sister found a responsible babysitter for her special guy too," Mary Margaret cooed at Neal as she burped him.

Henry made a face. "I'm too old for a babysitter."

David and Mary Margaret both burst out laughing. Henry frowned at them. He didn't think it was that funny. Mary Margaret handed off Neal to David before making her way over to where Henry sat. She leaned down and put both of her hands on her grandson's shoulders.

"You are not the one who needs a babysitter, sweetheart," she said, then kissed Henry on the forehead.

* * *

Killian smiled as he made his way into the sheriff's station. He had practically started whistling earlier on. Two years ago, it would've been unfathomable to him that he would be this happy. He had the affection from his Swan that he'd been seeking for so many months. He was slowly becoming an integral part of her life. It was a great feeling.

He'd had a great day with Henry. The two of them got along well. Henry was inquisitive and a quick study, which was an excellent combination in a student. Killian felt like the lad respected him and genuinely enjoyed their time together. He even asked when they would get to sail again as Killian was dropping him off at Regina's.

Killian's good mood subsided some when he saw Emma sitting at her desk. Clearly that box didn't contain a happy thing. Killian was surprised when Emma told him that it was full of mementos from her past. He was even more shocked when she let him go through them. It was an incredible display of vulnerability and trust that she did that. Killian was humbled that she allowed him to see these things.

Killian chuckled slightly at the glasses. One time they'd discussed disguises from their times as thieves. Killian had explained how one could use talc to temporarily whiten their hair and ink to create false tattoos. Those were his two favorites. Emma had shared that she wore glasses to make herself harder to identify. Killian had told her he thought they would look good on her. Emma in glasses was one of the many fantasies he had entertained since she divulged that information.

Killian had no frame of reference for the ring he found. It wasn't something Emma mentioned, but that meant nothing. It must have some importance if she kept it all these years.

When Killian found the picture, a tiny thread of jealousy darted through him. It was quickly eclipsed by a terrible amount of guilt. He was with Emma; Baelfire wasn't. He'd won the girl because there was no other competition. Killian was with Emma, loving her. He had spent the day teaching their son to sail, when it should've been Bae. He was supposed to be there for Henry, not Killian, who was a poor replacement for his father. Killian had attempted to be essentially a stepfather to Neal and that had ended so poorly.

Killian tried to rearrange his features into something more neutral. Emma looked spooked. She thought he was jealous. None of this was her burden though. The last thing she needed was another thing to worry about between Elsa and the Snow Queen.

As Killian waited for Emma to hook up some sort of electronic device, he thought about his own mementos. There wasn't a lot of time for him to secure his belongings before he went to New York. He imagined one or two things of his were in the Crocodile's shop, considering that's where his hand currently resided.

The only thing Killian had to share was a compass. It was tarnished and dented on one side, but it was something that all of his loved ones had once touched. The compass was originally Liam's. It had been given to him by their parents upon his first commission in the Navy. It made its way to Killian when Liam died. The object served as a touchstone for Killian to his family.

Then Milah came along. Killian had drawn a miniature portrait of her that was in the back panel of the compass. It had been sheltered there from the rain and the sun while Killian searched out the Crocodile. The dent in the side came from Baelfire. The boy was so angry with Killian that he chucked the compass at the captain's head. It struck the mast instead, leaving a mark. Henry had used the compass today. He was already a much better student than his father. Killian had related the tale of how his prized possession had suffered a blow. All the stories in the world couldn't equate having his father alive though.

The most important moment in his compass' history was created by Emma. They had been on the ship on their way home from Neverland. It was misty when they first neared Storybrooke. It was nearly impossible to navigate, but the compass had led them home. Emma held it in her hands as the fog lifted. She had kissed the glass face of the compass when she realized that they were so close. The relief in her eyes, knowing he contributed to it, had warmed Killian all the way through.

Killian touched the outside of his jacket as Emma continued to set up her electronic device. His hand traced the edge of the compass. He would tell her about the object once they were done with her box.

Killian settled in, taking some time to appreciate Emma's nearness and their lack of Snow Queen drama.

Unfortunately that wouldn't last very long.

* * *

**So basically this chapter was inspired by the complete randomness of the boys going sailing. Particularly since Henry was all 'eh fine I guess you can date if it makes you happy' last week. I absolutely loved the final scene with Emma and Killian. Fluff post-scene felt weird so Killian and his compass were my way of being feelsy. **


	5. 4x04: Operation Bluebird

**Important Note: I wrote these out of order so the episode tag for 4x05 appears before the one for 4x04. Sorry for the confusion!**

**Ridiculously huge thanks to moni1028, Nouqueret, and Lexie McSteamy for reviewing. Many, many thanks to everyone who favorite/followed as well.**

* * *

"We need a name," Henry whispered at his grandmother. His eyes darted toward the stairs. Emma would be coming down any moment to take him to Granny's before school.

"A name?" Mary Margaret asked.

Her voice was also lowered. She was worried David would overhear her and Henry. He would not approve of what they were planning. Luckily, Neal had been particularly messy that morning, garnering his mother precious moments for scheming.

"All the best operations have names. I'm thinking Bluebird, like you. This is the first time we've officially teamed up."

Mary Margaret beamed at Henry. She'd always had a special place in her heart for him, even when he was her student. They didn't get to spend nearly enough time together now that she was the mayor and a new mom.

Emma called down from the loft that she was almost ready.

"All systems go," Mary Margaret said, holding out her fist for Henry to tap.

"Ready player one," Henry replied, bumping his fist with Mary Margaret's.

Emma skittered down the stairs. She grabbed her jacket and tried to put it on. It took her several seconds of struggling to realize that she had it on upside down.

"Sorry, couldn't find my other boot. We should get you to school barely on time."

Henry looked at the clock on the microwave. "We won't be late if we leave in the next five minutes."

Emma sagged in relief. Her eyes lost the harried glaze they'd had moments before. Mary Margaret eyed her carefully. Finding her daughter okay, she started washing some dishes. The newly minted mayor studiously kept her eyes on the sink in order to not give anything away.

"Got all your homework, Henry?" Mary Margaret asked in an attempt at casualness. She poured it on a little thick, but Emma was too distracted to notice.

Henry's look of panic was so genuine that Mary Margaret was impressed by his acting skills. She was also not looking forward to the time when he used those powers for teenage rebellion and not matchmaking.

"Hold on a sec, Mom."

Henry ran up the stairs. Mary Margaret pounced on Emma before Henry reached the landing.

"So you and Killian?"

Emma squirmed under her mother's scrutiny. "There isn't a me and Killian."

Mary Margaret returned her attention to the sudsy water in front of her. She didn't have long so this would have to be quick and perfectly executed.

Like a well-shot arrow.

"Well how do you know if you don't try? Enjoy some quiet time and go see a movie or something. We could even vacate the apartment for a while and you could get takeout from Granny's and watch Netflix. That would be super low pressure."

Emma raised an eyebrow, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. Mary Margaret got the feeling that there was some sort of joke in what she said, but she couldn't identify it.

"I don't mean to be pushy, but it just seems like he makes you happy," Mary Margaret said gently.

Emma took a deep breath. "He does."

Mary Margaret took a moment to look at Emma's outfit. She had dressed nicer than she usually did for work. Her face was equal parts nervous and happy. Mary Margaret felt her eyes well up a little. Her chin wobbled as she kept herself from crying.

Her daughter had come to this choice all on her own, without Mary Margaret's interference. Her Emma who used to be so guarded was going to let someone in. Mary Margaret couldn't even be upset that she rehearsed her little speech for nothing.

Henry bounded down the stairs before Mary Margaret let an embarrassment of tears flow. Emma pulled Henry into a side hug. While they were talking Mary Margaret shot off a quick text to Henry telling him to play it cool, not to seem eager about Emma and Killian dating. The twosome made their way to the door and left quickly, neither noticing Mary Margaret's texting.

Mary Margaret blinked rapidly. Tears trailed down her cheeks. Mary Margaret let several drop onto the counter before she wiped the rest away. She wasn't sure how long much longer David would be so she hurried to the bathroom. The post-pregnancy hormones were making her more sensitive than usual. David was handling it all well, but sometimes it was easier and less humiliating to cry by herself.

Mary Margaret shut the door behind her and leaned over the sink. Sobs hiccupped out of her. Her nose ran at an absurd pace. Between that and the tears it would be a wonder if she didn't dehydrate right then and there.

A small chirping noise announced that she had a new text. It was from Henry.

_She's talking about KISSING that was not in the plan I don't know if I can handle that she's going to ask him out RIGHT NOW. _

Mary Margaret laughed. For someone so Team Killian he really hadn't thought this out. As insightful as Henry it was amusing that he didn't equate being in love with PDA. He would deal with any awkwardness for Emma's sake though. That boy would do anything for either one of his mothers.

David called for Mary Margaret. She blew her nose quickly and cleaned up most of the damage. Her face looked slightly less ravaged, but it was still raw from crying.

Neal was gurgling happily as David held him. The baby grabbed toward Mary Margaret as she entered the room. She smoothly took him from her husband's arms and cuddled him close.

The smile slid off of David's face when he saw Mary Margaret's red-rimmed eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Emma is asking Killian out on a date," Mary Margaret told him.

David shifted his weight so he was leaning against the counter. He folded his arms across his chest.

"That is something to cry about," David said without a trace of sarcasm.

Mary Margaret lightly tapped him in the shin with her foot. "These are happy tears. Our girl is growing up."

David made a face. Mary Margaret had a theory that her husband's disapproval of Killian was ninety percent bluster. Given the chance the two of them would become besties, but David had too much fun playing the part of overprotective father.

"Speaking of, I need to find my Polaroid camera. I want to get photos. Do you think she'll need my help picking out an outfit? Maybe we should call Ruby. I don't even know what to wear on a date anymore it's been so long."

David frowned. "We go on dates."

"Name the last time we had an actual date," Mary Margaret countered not unkindly.

David paused. He opened his mouth several times, then thought better of it.

"See. We never go on dates anymore. It's not something I'm upset about. It's just a fact."

David sighed and pulled his wife and son into his side. "We'll have to do something about that. I'm sure we could find someone to watch Neal for the evening."

"Emma would probably do it. She could even have Killian pitch in," Mary Margaret teased.

David took Neal from Mary Margaret's arms. He held their baby close and kissed his forehead.

"No. We'd come home to a baby wearing a leather jacket with a flask of apple juice in its pocket. Belle offered when Neal was first born. Let's talk to her."

Mary Margaret rested her head against David's shoulder. "Sounds like a plan."

* * *

Killian stood there, stunned into silence. Emma had just asked him out. She was finally coming around to the idea of there being a 'them.' Killian had been willing to wait for whenever she was ready. True, he'd become much less patient lately, but it was because he felt so close to getting what he wanted.

He mulled over where he could take Emma for their date. A nice restaurant was probably the best option. It was where he'd witnessed her last date with that flying monkey. She'd looked so lovely that night in a black dress that hugged her figure and candlelight.

Thinking about Emma's outfit set off a small warning bell in Killian's head. She'd mentioned that he should let her know how to dress for their date. Was it really his right to tell her that? It seemed a little weird for Emma, who was so independent.

Ruby was walking by so Killian stopped her for advice. She had been helpful in the past when it came to his questions about this modern realm.

"When a woman asks you to let them know how to dress for a date, what all does that entail?" He asked.

Ruby smiled brightly. "Are you going out with Emma? Was that what that adorable display was a minute ago?"

Killian pressed his lips together to steady himself. "Aye. Swan asked me out."

Ruby clapped. "That's so great. Are you planning the date by yourself?" Killian nodded so Ruby continued on. "Emma just wants to know what would make her most comfortable. If you're doing a romantic beachside picnic then a clingy dress and stilettos are a terrible idea. On the other hand if you're going to get dinner someplace fancy then she'd feel super out of place in jeans and her leather jacket. Basically just let her know if she should dress up or not."

Killian nodded. That all made sense. In this realm they seemed to have costumes for any manner of occasion. In his he had a few outfits and chose whichever one would interfere least with the task at hand.

"If you want I could help you pick out what you're going to wear. The Clothes Emporium isn't far. I love playing dress up," Ruby stated.

Killian frowned. He hadn't thought about wearing something different for the date. It seemed like a good time to acquire the wardrobe of a Storybrooker though. It would be a gesture to Emma how committed he was to acclimating himself to her realm.

"That sounds agreeable. What time would work best for you?"

Ruby looked at the clock on the wall. "I'm off in about thirty minutes for a short break. Meet me there."

"Aye. Thank you for your assistance."

Ruby shrugged. She turned around to head into the kitchen. Just before she reached the door she called out Killian's name.

"Leave the hook at home. It might tear something while you're trying stuff on. Plus, I assume you won't be wearing it tonight just in case things progress. That way you won't have to worry about her if you get carried away," Ruby said teasingly.

Killian stiffened. He hadn't thought that far ahead. Sure, he'd had fantasies of him and Emma doing all manner of things, but in any of them his hook hadn't been a concern. Ruby had a point though. Killian would have to use his false hand for the evening. He gritted his teeth in annoyance. He shouldn't have to worry about such things. He should have full use of both of his hands, be allowed to explore the landscape of Emma's body with one hand while the other was tangled in her hair.

It didn't take long for Killian to decide that he needed to go to the Crocodile for his hand. If he played his cards right then he might be able to get his hand without a trade or a deal.

Even if he had to though, Emma was worth it.

* * *

Emma walked out of the restaurant feeling lighter than she had in weeks. She'd had a good time with Killian in spite of their run in with Will Scarlet. It was probably the best date Emma had even been on. She looked behind her to see where Killian was. He was currently shucking his jacket and held it out to her when he was done. Emma felt her heart flutter dangerously. It was so old-fashioned and sweet of him, her pirate with the heart of gold.

Emma accepted the jacket, pulling it on quickly so she could return her hand to where it belonged, with Killian's. She realized that they were making their way slowly back to her apartment. Emma frowned and stopped walking. She turned toward Killian.

"I'm not ready to go home yet. Wanna just walk around?" Emma asked.

Killian's hand tightened around hers. "As you wish, love."

"It's a shame the Snow Queen owned the ice cream parlor. That would've been a great way to stall for time."

It was difficult for Emma to be flippant about the Snow Queen, but she felt like she should be trying. Tonight was about not letting her fears overshadow all of the good things in her life. She snuggled into Killian's jacket.

"I love your outfit. You still look like you, but just little more modern," Emma told him with a smile. She was so touched that he'd made such an effort for their date.

"Ruby helped. Once she got over her initial mischievousness, she was rather helpful."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Mischievousness?"

Killian dug around in his pocket with his free hand. He smiled at his feet before pulling out his phone.

"What?" Emma asked.

"I love that I don't have to make the choice between holding your hand and accomplishing other tasks."

His smile was so wide that Emma couldn't help returning it. "I like that too. So what were you going to show me?"

Killian held out the phone for Emma to take. "Go to the pictures and you'll see."

There weren't many photos on Killian's phone. He was getting better at using technology, but he wasn't used to having the option of recording images so quickly. It didn't occur to him to take pictures. Emma quickly found the photo in question. At first glance it didn't seem too out of place. Killian was in a red and blue plaid shirt that was rolled up to his elbows. The collar of a white undershirt peeked out from above the top button. He wore a pair of fitted, but not skintight jeans. It wasn't a bad look for Killian, but it unsettled Emma somewhat. It took her a minute to figure out why. She started laughing loudly.

"She dressed you up like David?" Emma asked around her laughter.

Killian nodded. "It was eerie. She handed me these garments next though so things didn't turn out so bad."

Emma pulled Killian toward a storefront so they could lean against it while she collected herself. She was still shaking with amusement. Her breaths were closer to gasps and she felt a few tears escape her eyes. She wasn't even sure why she thought it was so hilarious. Emma blamed it on all of the stress she'd been experiencing. It felt like lifetimes since the last time she laughed. When her laughter finally died down, Emma realized that Killian had been staring at her.

"It's so good to hear you laugh like that, Swan," he told her earnestly. His smile was soft along the edges.

Emma continued to rest her back on the wall, but moved closer to Killian's side. She leaned her head near his shoulder. Killian wrapped his arm around her and pulled her further into his chest. His free arm trailed up and down Emma's back.

Emma closed her eyes for a moment and let herself pretend that she could always feel this safe, this happy.

**I loved Mary Margaret's enthusiasm in 4x04 so I couldn't resist having her and Henry playing matchmaker. It was so cute that Emma was wearing Killian's jacket so I had to put something with that in the chapter. **

**And I'm barely putting this up in time for the new episode tonight! Whew. I should be back to posting the Monday after each new episode :)**

**Thank you all again for reading. It means a lot!**


	6. 4x06: Kappa Kappa Spellcaster

**I know I updated yesterday, but now I'm totally up to date with the show. Yay! There wasn't a whole lot to play with in this episode, but I hope this works for you all. There's a touch of OutlawQueen angst at the end. **

**Special thanks to Polkie2, Lexie McSteamy, onetreefan, Nouqueret, and MainlyMaddison for reviewing. Thanks to everyone favoriting/following/reading as well.**

* * *

Emma ran her hand over her face. She had been staring at the Arendelle Royal Family Tree for the last few minutes. It was a lot to take in. This Ingrid woman had been following her around her whole life. They had met up at one point and formed some sort of attachment that Emma couldn't remember. It obviously had all gone south considering the Snow Queen had wiped Emma's memories.

Now, she was back and wanted Emma to become a part of her wacky family.

The spell Belle mentioned less than an hour ago seemed like the worst possible thing for Emma. The way Storybrooke had overcome every obstacle had been through some sort of teamwork or relationship. Whether it was Emma using True Love's Kiss on Henry or the showdown against Zelena and Rumple mere months ago, they won because of their connections to each other.

The Dairy Queen would take this advantage away from them. She would strip them of their greatest asset. It pained Emma to think that she would lose the support of her family.

"What's wrong, love? You'll incinerate the book if you stare at it any harder," Killian said, appearing over Emma's shoulder. He framed her back with his arms. Emma turned around in her chair so their noses were practically touching. She looked just past Killian's head, trying to find the best way to ask what she wanted to know.

It terrified Emma that Killian might turn on her soon. She had dealt with her parents not knowing who she was. That was awful though hating her would be much worse. There had been some spats with Henry during their year in New York. It was typical teen stuff, but it was a preview of what would be happening soon.

"How do you think her magic's going to make everyone hate each other? Like will it pick things that are already there and make them worse or create problems in everyone's head?"

Killian tilted his head and studied Emma for a moment. It was equal parts terrifying and relieving that Killian could read her so well. It was hard to be that vulnerable in front of someone, especially for Emma. She'd been so guarded her whole life that opening up was hard for her. That was where the relief came in. It was nice to not have to verbalize every single fear or thought that ran through her head.

Asking if she'd find out her loved ones darkest feelings toward her was daunting.

"I don't know. It's possible we'll encounter some ugliness that was there before the Snow Queen arrived. All I know is that we will make it out alright in the end. This woman has never fought against Storybrooke."

Emma smiled slightly. "We _are_ pretty badass."

Killian rested his arm on Emma's shoulder. His fingers drew in a lock from her ponytail and toyed with it.

"Additionally, there's a lot of True Love in this town. A few kisses should mend most alliances," Killian said in a voice far too casual for the discussion.

Emma sucked in a small breath. Killian was avoiding her eyes, focused solely on her hair. Was he actually trying to tell her that he loved her? True Loved her? It scared Emma less than she thought it might. It didn't surprise her though. Killian had tried to use True Love's Kiss on her all those months ago in New York before they were even a thing. Emma didn't want to dwell on her thoughts on the subject. She was afraid they were too close to being on the same page.

If Emma had to give Killian up soon then she figured she should take advantage of every moment they had alone. It would give her something to cling to when things went wrong. Emma tilted her head back so her mouth was in line with Killian's. She pressed her lips against his gently, feeling his smile under hers. He leaned down to gain better access to her mouth. Emma felt herself being simultaneously pulled from her seat by Killian's hand in her hair and pressed down by his forearm along her other shoulder. Emma let her hands wander up his chest before they settled in the loops of his pants, tugging him closer.

Killian stood up without releasing his grip on Emma. She followed him and soon was standing up. Killian maneuvered them so he was in the chair and Emma was straddling his lap. It surprised Emma for a moment, but she quickly regained her bearings. Killian was now at eye level with Emma's chin. He trailed a line of kisses across Emma's collarbone, clearly enjoying how much skin her tank top revealed. Emma pulled him back up to her so she could be an active participant again.

Killian seemed to not mind the change of direction. He opened his mouth wider as Emma's tongue dipped in. They took turns delving into each other's mouths. Emma loved that he enjoyed having her in control just as often as he was. She liked being seen as an equal.

Killian's fingertips had just started flirting with the bottom of Emma's top when a noise interrupted them. Thankfully it was just Regina not Emma's parents or Henry. That would be mortifying and involve several conversations about boundaries and alone time.

"You can open that treasure chest another time, Pirate. I just wanted an update on that Ice Bitch before I go pick Henry up," Regina said in voice that was even parts boredom and derision.

All of the blood rushed to Emma's head as she tried to stand up. Her boot got stuck on the table and she ended up kicking Killian by accident, which just made things worse.

"Apologies, milady," Killian said sarcastically toward Regina.

Emma stood in between them. The quicker she dispatched Regina was the quicker that she got to go back to kissing Killian.

"The Dairy Queen, Ingrid, is trying to create some sort of warped family of magical women. She's using some spell called Shattered Sight. It'll turn everyone against each other except for the people she wants to join her side. Pleasant, right?"

Regina pressed her lips together. "I've heard of that one. It's brutal. Fortunately we'll be unaffected so we have a chance to defeat her once her guard is down."

Emma and Killian shared a look. "What makes you think you won't be affected?"

"I do have magic. If she's founding Kappa Kappa Spellcaster, I'd be an asset," Regina said with an arched eyebrow.

Killian grinned in amusement as Emma floundered for how to tell Regina the bad (?) news.

"Um well she really only wants me and Elsa," Emma's voice trailed off.

Regina frowned. "Why only you two? My magic is much more stable and I'm also a queen. I'm the ideal candidate!"

Killian smirked. "I believe she prefers blondes."

Emma shot Killian a warning glance. "That's sort of a coincidence. I think she wants people she already thinks of family. Elsa is her actual niece. I look just like her dead sister, and she stalked me my whole life so I'm practically like family. Really you're lucky. I feel like there must be something wrong with me _because_ she wants me so much."

Regina rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Well, she's an idiot if she wants the icemaker on the fritz and you on her team over me. If that's all the information you found, this trip was worthless. I'm going home."

Emma nodded and let Regina go without a fight. She was acquiescing a lot more often when it came to Regina.

"Enjoy your booty, Leather Pants!" Regina's voice called out as she exited the building.

Killian laughed heartily as he pulled Emma back into his lap. "Well, love, you can at least take comfort in the fact that the mirror spell will have no impact on how Regina treats you.

* * *

Regina walked down the main drag in Storybrooke. She tilted her head back and looked at the stars. It made her stomach churn to see Emma and Killian together. It was more jealousy than actual disgust, but still.

It was getting harder and harder to avoid Robin. There was only one solution left, but she couldn't vocalize it. Her idea was so awful, so terrible that she didn't want to even discuss it.

Regina wanted to alter Robin's memories. If she was erased from them, then he would go back to loving his wife. Marian would wake up as soon as he kissed her.

There were several problems with that though. Regina would still have her memories. It sounded selfish, but that would destroy her. She had played that game with Henry after he returned from New York. Resilient as she was, Regina didn't think she could handle that again. The other problem was that if Regina was Robin's True Love, then him kissing Marian wouldn't help matters. A person couldn't have two True Loves. Regina's absence wouldn't make Marian take her place.

She had hinted that this was how things would have to be in order to save Marian. Her conversation with Robin skirted telling him outright her last ditch effort. She had tried to tell him to forget about her on his own. If he was feeling anything like Regina though, wanting to get over things wouldn't do anything.

It really was looking like this was the only way Regina could fix things. The question would be whether or not she got permission or just did what she wanted.

It was a drag trying to be a good guy. Evil Queen Regina never would've cared about permission.

(She also wouldn't have put her feelings aside and tried to help either.)

* * *

**Kissing bits because there weren't a lot of cute CS scenes last night. I loved the Captain Guyliner thing though. I laughed so hard that I choked. The OutlawQueen part was really weird in the episode and it felt like Regina was essentially telling Robin their only option was memory loss. Maybe that's just me?**

**Again thank you all for continuing to come back each week :)**


	7. 4x07: Leave a Message

**Imaginary muffins and cookies to Nouqueret, Lexie McSteamy, moni1028, and both of the guests for reviewing. Those messages seriously make my day, and I really appreciate them. Thanks also to those who favorite/followed.**

**So there wasn't a lot to play with this week, but hopefully it works for you all.**

* * *

Angry tears pricked behind Emma's eyes. She just kept reliving those five awful minutes when she showed her true colors to her family. Her mind replayed the explosion of the lights, the lightpost falling toward Killian and her father. She could practically feel the crackle of untamed magic in her hands. They still tingled slightly, but Emma felt mostly in control of her powers now.

The worst part of this whole thing was her family's reaction. Mary Margaret had snapped. Her husband had been injured. She had probably been thanking her lucky stars that Emma hadn't watched Neal that afternoon. It wouldn't surprise Emma if she was kept from her brother for a long while.

Killian referring to the Snow Queen as a monster had nearly undone Emma. He was evaluating the situation and decided that was the label for the perpetrator. He called his own girlfriend a monster. Then she nearly crushed him with that post. It would've been a much worse injury for him than it was for David. The idea of harming either of them made Emma sick. She had been so worried about Killian being taken from her that she didn't consider that she might be the one to cause that. An image of Killian lying broken and bloodied on the pavement flashed in her mine. Emma threw open her car door and leaned out toward the ground. She vomited up the little she had eaten that morning. She swished and spit out some water from a bottle she found in her car. The sour taste wouldn't leave though.

Just as she had assembled this family and begun to rely on it, they were being yanked from her. It was like being in foster care all over again. As soon as she would get comfortable it was time to move again.

Emma's phone chirped. It had been going off intermittently for the past three hours. There were text messages from her parents, Killian, and Henry. David let Emma know that he wasn't injured too badly and that he didn't blame her for what happened. Mary Margaret's message was an apology for snapping. Emma was grateful that it was a text not a voicemail. Hearing Mary Margaret cry would set off her tears again. Henry hadn't been present for Emma's magic show, but he begged her to come home. He also said that his mother could help train her again. Emma briefly wondered if he had actually asked Regina or just assumed she would help.

Killian's text had been the first one Emma received that made her cry. It was much shorter than the other ones, but Emma attributed that to his lack of phone skills. It was also the only one he had sent.

_Nothing has changed for me, Swan. Be safe until you're ready to come home._

Even in this he was giving her the space she needed. He understood that she needed time to sort everything out. It scared Emma sometimes how well he could read her.

Emma checked her phone to see who the newest text was from. It was from Killian.

_Don't be alarmed. You don't have to answer. I merely want to leave you a voice message._

Emma frowned at the screen. Her phone lit up not long after she finished reading the message. Killian's smiling face appeared on the screen. Emma wasn't ready to talk to him so she let it go to voicemail. The wait was interminable. Just when Emma thought maybe he hadn't left her a message, her phone told her that there was a voicemail waiting for her.

Her fingers flew over the screen to play the message. Emma might not have wanted to talk to Killian, but she desperately wanted to hear his voice.

Emma played the message once, twice, three times in succession. His words were exactly what she needed to hear. He didn't pressure her, but he proved that he got her. His feelings hadn't changed. Emma wasn't ready to go home just yet, but she was a hell of a lot closer to feeling like she could.

The Snow Queen said only one thing that Emma agreed with. It was that you couldn't love somebody that you didn't understand. Luckily for her, she and Killian had that in spades.

* * *

Killian watched as Mary Margaret and David held each other. That look of steely resolve was something Emma had most assuredly inherited from her parents. He missed her fiercely right now. She wasn't only physically away from him. Killian knew that this incident would make Emma emotionally distant as well. It wouldn't surprise him if she held him at an arm's length; never let him get close to her again. All because she thought she would hurt him.

He had thought the worst thing he ever felt was when she was torn away from him. Then she forgot him. After that she didn't trust him because he kept information from her about Zelena and the kiss. He truly felt like that was the lowest that he could ever feel. This though, was the new benchmark for how bad things could get. There was literally nothing he could do to fix the situation. He had to wait for Emma to deal with things in her own time. The only thing he could do was let her know that he would be there when she got back.

Killian snuck out the front door to make a phone call. He sat on the stairs for some privacy. He just wanted Emma to know how he felt. She hadn't answered his previous attempt to call her so he sent a text first. It would upset her less if he took the pressure of answering off of her. He pressed the "Emma" button on his phone and waited through the trilling noise. Killian smiled slightly when he heard her voice, even if it was telling him she wasn't available.

"Swan. It's okay if you need time, truly. I understand that urge. Once just after Milah died, I almost beat a man to death. I was so consumed with rage and darkness in those days and let it take over. It terrified me that I was capable of that. I locked myself in my cabin for days. I can't imagine how much worse that feeling must be when it was someone you cared for that got hurt." Killian paused to take a breath. "I've seen what you can do, Swan. You've only used your magic to save people, to help them. What happened was an accident, and it doesn't make me afraid of you or any less in - well you know. I'll be here when you return, Emma. If you need assistance, don't hesitate to contact me. You're it for me; I'm not going anywhere."

Killian ended the call. He stared at his boots, wondering if he had done the right thing. It was so hard to stay where he was and give Emma the time she needed. All he wanted was to hold her.

It was a compromise to listen to her voice. Killian fiddled with the buttons on his phone. He finally remembered how to pull up his own voicemail box. There weren't many messages in it, but he played through them all. There were only four, but each one made him feel a little better.

The smile was evident in Emma's voice when she called him. The first was to teach him how to use voicemail. It was just Emma explaining how you could leave recordings for people when they didn't answer the phone. The 'see you soon' at the end made his heart clench. He hoped that was true this time as well.

The second message asked him to pick up coffee for her on his way to see her. It lasted less than fifteen seconds, but it still made Killian smile. The third one was Emma huffing into the phone about how late he was to check in for patrolling. He could tell it was concern, not anger, that was motivating the call. Emma cut off midsentence to yell at him in real life. He had walked up as she was leaving the message.

The fourth message was the best one, but also the hardest one to listen to. Emma had left if while Killian was getting his hand back from the Crocodile. She sounded so hesitant, which was very unlike Emma. All she wanted was to ask how she should dress for their date. She then told Killian to call her back with an answer. The message ended with Emma telling him that she was really looking forward to their date.

Killian sighed as he set down the phone. It lit up almost as soon as it touched the step. Killian's heart soared as he realized it was a text from Emma.

_Thank you, Killian. I'll let you know when I'm ready to come home._

The 'when' in Emma's message loosened some of the pressure in Killian's chest. A small part of him feared that Emma would never return. It was so comforting to read that she planned to come back.

The door to the loft opened. Killian turned toward the noise and saw Mary Margaret approaching him. She moved to sit down on the steps too. Killian shifted over to make room for her. It threw him slightly off balance when Mary Margaret wrapped her arms around him.

"Your husband is inside, you know," Killian quipped, falling back on humor to carry him through awkward situations.

Mary Margaret laughed. "Emma's okay."

She held up the phone to display the message she had received.

_I'm sorry. I just need time. Take care of my guys for me._

"That she is," Killian said.

Mary Margaret looked over the pirate. He could feel her assessing every inch of him from his expression to his posture. It was unnerving, though it reminded Killian that this woman was a ruler in her former realm.

"I know you had something to do with this." Mary Margaret hesitated. "I heard you talking out here. I mean, I didn't hear what you were saying or anything. I didn't eavesdrop, but I know you were sitting her on the phone then ten minutes later Emma is making contact with us. So thank you."

Killian fixed his gaze on the wall. He was unaccustomed to this kind of behavior from Mary Margaret and wasn't sure how to handle it.

"It was nothing," he told her dismissively.

Mary Margaret stood up next to him. "Well, I'm making dinner. You should stay and join us."

Killian nodded. Mary Margaret squeezed his shoulder before she left his side. His eyes met hers as he looked up.

"I won't give up on her," he whispered.

Mary Margaret smiled softly. "Even David knows that."

Killian let out a breath that might've been a laugh under better circumstances. He followed Mary Margaret into the apartment and joined the family for dinner. In the back of his mind, Killian fervently hoped Emma would be at his side the next time he dined with the Charmings.

* * *

**Sorry this one was so angsty. It's probably the opposite of what we all need after that episode. The midseason break is fast approaching unfortunately. If this finale is anything like the last two-parter we had then it'll be CS shenanigans galore. **

**I'm hoping to have a one-shot up this week. We'll see how that goes :) **


	8. 4x09 (Smash the Mirror): Heartless

**You all! There was so much love I got after posting that last chapter. I'm going to be so spoiled now. Many, many thanks to lbt16, Ann C, Nouqueret, LexieMcSteamy, Skyeward MusicLover, lookbackatme, Polkie2, parapentistria4ever, onetreefan, tnplh, moni1028, and Dina C for reviewing. Thanks also go out to everyone who favorite and followed.**

**Just a warning this one kind of got away from me. I stayed up late writing most of it, but realized I should edit it when well rested. This chapter ended up being three times as long as I thought it would be. You can tell I was delirious with sleepiness and feelings because I thought slipping in a Shakespeare quote was an excellent idea. Wordy angst ramblings ahoy!**

* * *

Killian felt like all the breath had been knocked out of him. Emma was still missing, probably with the Crocodile, while Killian was without a vessel to find her. He paused for a moment outside of the pawn shop to get his bearings. His eyes shut of their own accord, allowing him to visualize a map of Storybrooke. His mind shuffled through several options before deciding on the best route for him to take. The task kept his panic at bay for the moment. It slowly crept up on him the second he started down the street though.

Emma was in trouble, unfathomable depths of trouble. The Crocodile's magic hat would take her away. Killian had seen firsthand what the object could do to a magic user. Ever since Mary Margaret had told him that Emma was getting rid of her magic, the memory of what he had a hand in kept cropping up. Emma's body hadn't superimposed itself onto the images, but it wouldn't be long until it did. Seeing Emma like that would ruin Killian.

The trek to the manor felt both longer and shorter than it should have. More than once Killian mulled over the idea of calling David or Mary Margaret for a ride. If he did then he would first have to convince them that Emma losing her magic was a bad thing. He wasn't willing to gamble away precious minutes on such a longshot. David seemed so set on letting Emma do what she wanted. Mary Margaret might understand if Killian explained what he knew and how he knew it. The only hitch would be that Mary Margaret was unlikely to trust him after that. For all her talk about hope and love and trust, Killian wasn't sure that she'd see the romanticism in his original gesture.

It was a shame that Elsa or Henry couldn't drive. Either one would've been easy to ally with. Henry snuck out in the middle of the night and went after Emma alone. He would do anything for her if she was in danger. Elsa was understanding of everything and had magic which was a bonus. She was more ill at ease in Storybrooke than Killian was though. She didn't even have a phone. Henry, on the other hand, was underage in this realm. Killian thought that this was ridiculous. He'd been sailing, which had more dangers attached to it, at a much earlier age.

It was so disheartening for Killian to finally arrive at the manor only to be stopped just outside. He could hear the clamor and the clash of magic inside the building. He felt helpless as was tied up at the mercy of his oldest foe. His pleas fell flat. Killian was nothing more than an idiot, full of sound and fury. He could only watch as his love practically sprinted toward death, her arms wide open in welcome.

Then it happened. All of the commotion ceased. The terrible smile slid right off of the Crocodile's face. Emma had prevailed. She won. One of the many things Killian loved about Emma was that she was a survivor. She was so strong and resilient. As she told him before, she saved herself.

That high moment of triumph was quickly squashed when the Crocodile tore Killian's heart from his chest. It was strangely poetic. He had felt like his heart was torn from his chest the moment that the ropes had tightened around his wrists. Now he was literally experiencing that agony. The knowledge that the Crocodile was in possession of his heart was worse than that pain though. Killian had always felt like Emma held his heart in her hands. He trusted her with it. He gave over complete control to her. She was in charge of their love story and how quickly it progressed. Now all of Killian's control was in the hands of his only enemy. He could be forced to do any number of awful things, even if they were to Emma. She was the last person he would ever want to hurt, and now he might be forced to.

The Crocodile's plan sickened Killian. He had to use that hat on Elsa. It was possible that the Snow Queen could also be used, but it would be harder to get to her. Killian would be propelled toward this goal. Every step toward it would also be a step toward death.

Finding Emma in the manor wasn't as big a relief as he had hoped. Holding her, kissing her, did little to quell the anguish simmering in Killian's veins. He could already feel the need to accomplish his task. His fingers itched to close around Elsa's throat or knock her out and drag her around by her braid. A thousand ways to incapacitate her flickered through Killian's mind. It was only focusing on Emma's face that dulled those thoughts to mere static.

Killian felt drawn to the room with the hat in it. He tucked the item in his jacket. It occurred to Killian then that he might not have to hide the thing. The Crocodile never said he had to accomplish things immediately. He also never said he couldn't tell everyone what he had to do. It would even further the goal if he proposed this as a way to stop the Snow Queen. It would be hard, but it would still fulfill the requirements the Crocodile set forth.

Now he just needed to solve that whole part where he was going to die at the end of this. It would probably be best to keep that from Emma.

* * *

As Emma watched her family mill around she wondered how she had ever doubted them. Mary Margaret practically sat in Emma's lap on the car ride home. She alternated between hugging her daughter and crying. Even now as she cleaned up the hot chocolate she was beaming. David was more reserved in his affection. He let his wife have her time. Once they were home he stopped by Belle's to pick up Neal. Henry made a point of sitting next to Emma whenever he could. She took it as his way of saying that he wasn't upset about her hurting him.

Killian had been quiet since he had handed over the hat. He mentioned that they might be able to use it on the Snow Queen. He was silent the whole way home. To be fair, he was in the trunk space of David's SUV on the way home. There were only five seats in the car, but six people. They decided to pick up Emma's car the next day and break several traffic laws in the process.

For all the words Killian wasn't saying, his face tried to make up for it. The intensity of his gaze had ratcheted up severely since the manor. Emma had thought he looked at her with love and adoration before. That was nothing compared to the naked longing she now saw. It was hunger, pining, need and desperation all rolled into one. There was an edge of something else that was new, but Emma couldn't quite identify it.

Earlier he had called it right after Emma talked with Mary Margaret. He rang at just the wrong time. Emma was backing her car out of her hiding spot when her phone slid under the passenger seat. It started ringing not long after. Even though she was on an empty road, it would've been dangerous to dig around as she drove. The Snow Queen interrupted her before she was able to rescue the phone. Then she ditched her car. Emma was curious as to what the message said. Knowing Killian it was something romantic or swoon worthy. He knew how to make even cynical Emma weak in the knees.

Killian stood up and walked his empty cup over to Mary Margaret. "Thank you for your hospitality, but I really must be on my way."

"David and I were going to make breakfast tomorrow morning. We'd love it if you could join us," Mary Margaret said. The look David shot Mary Margaret made it clear that this was a last minute idea of his wife's.

Killian's mercurial eyes met Emma's. Every time Emma thought she had a read on what he was feeling, his face shifted and displayed a whole new emotion.

"I would. Thank you. Would it be alright if I stole Emma away for coffee beforehand?" Killian asked, his question directed at everyone though he looked to Emma for an answer. She nodded in response. There was something bothering him and she had a feeling he would tell her at their coffee date.

Elsa and Mary Margaret exchanged knowing glances. It was too much for Emma to take. She wanted some alone time with her pirate. It was awkward having other people witness their private moments. Emma drained the last of her cocoa in one big gulp. She had tried to savor the cup, making it last much longer than everyone else did.

"I'll walk you out, Killian," Emma said as she grabbed her jacket. She studiously avoided the looks of her family.

Killian took her hand and led her out the door before anyone could object. As soon as the door closed he placed his hand gently on the side of Emma's neck. He leaned in for a slow, deliberate kiss. Emma felt like he was memorizing every inch of her mouth. When they finally pulled back Killian removed his hook and stashed it in his jacket.

"Just give me five more minutes," Killian pleaded, his voice raspy with desperation.

Emma pulled him in for a quick kiss. "I'll give you ten."

Killian smiled wickedly before swooping in. If their previous kiss was a slow exploration, then this one was a savage plundering. Killian's hand and unhooked forearm were everywhere, making circuits from her hair to her back to her hips. It now made sense as to why Killian had removed his hook. His movements were reckless and instinctive, unfettered by his concern over goring her.

Emma moved them so she was leaning against the wall. Her hands skimmed the skin just under the hem of Killian's shirt. He leaned into her ministrations and kissed her with even more hunger. Emma answered in kind, matching his intensity.

They continued for several more minutes until both parties were flushed and out of breath. Emma could feel her heart beating wildly, nearly escaping her chest. She made the decision to keep going though. Her mouth traced the column of his neck. Killian's head lolled back, allowing her better access. Emma took the invitation and flipped them so Killian had his back against the wall.

"Swan," Killian groaned.

The throatiness of his voice delighted Emma and made her continue onward. Her teeth grazed Killian's earlobe, causing him to shudder. He started saying her first name over and over again. It sounded like a prayer the way he kept chanting it. Emma pressed one last kiss on Killian's collarbone before moving back. His breathing slowly went back to normal. He stared at her with such anguish that Emma wondered if he was more upset about what happened that day than he let on.

"I have something to tell you. I need you to hear this, but it will change everything," Killian said as he entwined his hand with one of hers.

Emma looked down at their interlocked hands. She had a feeling she knew what Killian was going to tell her. It was something she had known for a while now, something she had also been feeling.

"I love you," Emma told him simply.

His reaction was not what Emma expected at all. Killian's head thudded back against the wall. His eyes closed to, if Emma wasn't mistaken, hold back tears. The agony in his eyes would haunt Emma tonight.

"I love you too. You've known that. That wasn't what I was going to tell you though, love."

Emma knew deep in her bones that whatever Killian was about to say might break her. It was clear that it had shattered him already.

"What happened?" She asked.

Killian rubbed his thumb along the inside of Emma's wrist. "The Crocodile took my heart. He's forcing me to help him trap someone magical with that infernal hat. He wants to separate his power from that dagger of his and this is the last ingredient he needs. I saw him do it before. Helping him that day was the price of having my hand for our date. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

Emma took a moment to process the information. It hurt that Killian didn't share this information previously. She didn't like it when he kept things from her. What bothered her more though was that he felt he needed to do anything that drastic to make her happy. He had become an agent of evil just to touch her with both hands. She didn't want him sacrificing pieces of his soul for her like that.

"I'll be mad at you later, but we will have a serious talk about making deals when this is all done."

Killian nodded. "I deserve that. I just needed you to know that I may not be myself soon. The Crocodile isn't exactly friendly with me. He may decide to make me hurt you purely for his own pleasure."

Emma's heart broke at the look on Killian's face. He was so distraught over this mess. There was something nagging Emma though. She felt like there was some dot she hadn't yet connected.

Then it hit her. It explained the way Killian was looking at her. That unexplained emotion she kept seeing was urgency.

"Killian, what was the other ingredient for Rumple's spell?" Emma asked, knowing the answer already but needing to hear it.

Killian's face fell. "The heart of someone who knew him before he became the Dark One."

Emma could tell just what Killian was trying so hard not to outright tell her. It was his heart that the Dark One had taken. If Gold planned on using the heart in a spell then that meant Killian would never get it back. It would be destroyed during the spell.

_If it was destroyed then that meant that Killian would no longer be..._

The thought was too awful for her to finish. Emma felt her knees buckle beneath held fast though. She needed to be strong for Killian.

"And he's using your heart," Emma clarified so he knew that she understood him.

Killian nodded sadly. Emma disentangled herself from him slowly and popped her head into the apartment. David was the only one still in the kitchen. He was still holding onto Neal. Emma knew this wouldn't be easy, but it could've been Henry who she told. That would've been significantly more awkward.

"Gold did something to Killian. I need to go help him," Emma told her father.

David arched an eyebrow. "Is that what the kids are calling it these days?"

Emma closed her eyes in embarrassment. She could only imagine how this must look. Her hair was almost certainly mussed, and her lips were kiss bruised. While she did intend to spend some more time kissing Killian, she truly did want to take some time to strategize.

"We'll explain everything tomorrow at breakfast."

Emma closed the door behind her. Killian reached for her as soon as she turned around. Emma pulled him into a crushing hug immediately.

"I won't let him take you from me," she whispered defiantly into his chest.

Killian kissed the top of Emma's head. "I know. If anyone can save me, it's you, Swan."

* * *

**Kissing! Originally I wanted to have them do more, but I had trouble writing that I scrapped it. I'm hypercritical of my kissing scenes so I can't imagine how picky I'd get editing a mature scene.**

**I'm sure the writers won't let Killian tell the others about the hat and all, but damnit he should. I initially was going to have him tell Henry or Mary Margaret, but it felt weird when I tried so here we are.**

**Did anyone else feel like the characters had the longest day ever? Seriously, Killian and Elsa walked all the way to the manor and it became night while they traveled. Oh well. **

**I'll see y'all in two weeks since there's no new episode next week!**


	9. 4x12(Heroes & Villians):Connect the Dots

**Sorry I've been gone, lovelies. Unfortunately, I tried to do something for 4x10 and 4x11, but my attempts were so awful I couldn't subject y'all to them. **

**Anyway many, many thanks to LexieMcSteamy, onetreefan, Nouqueret, Orchfan, moni1028, and fangirlmum4ever for reviewing. Virtual hugs and cookies to those who followed and favorite as well. This story reached 20,000 hits, which is really big for me. My last multi-chapter story has the same number of hits for twice as many chapters. Such improvement! Thank you for your continued interest. It means the world.**

* * *

Mary Margaret's eyes widened. She was finally able to move again, but something had changed in the clock tower. Rumpelstiltskin was gone. He had vanished while Emma and Mary Margaret had been frozen. It was impossible to know how long they were out. It seemed like blinking, but the telltale sluggishness in Mary Margaret's limbs told her that they had been magically suspended.

Emma did not seem to have the same problem. She vaulted up the stairs, taking them nearly two at a time. It was not immediately obvious why. Rumple was clearly gone. His spell had either worked and he had left or something had gone wrong. The two obvious magic users could not have been involved, so that made the former possibility more likely. Emma was unable to move. Regina was focused on what had happened with Robin Hood. There had been no time to contact her and get her up to speed.

Emma fell to her knees once she reached the landing. Mary Margaret finally saw what Emma was so concerned over reaching. Killian Jones was kneeling on the ground, his heart outstretched in his hand. There was a macabre similarity to the traditional way men proposed, only instead of jewelry Killian was offering the power to control or kill him.

Emma grabbed his face firmly, yet gently, in both hands. She moved his head fractionally as her eyes scanned him for any other injuries. Mary Margaret climbed the steps so she could help out. It was awful seeing Emma's anguish. It cut her deep to know her daughter was hurting like that.

"How long?" Emma whispered, her eyes on the glowing heart.

Killian let out a strangled sigh. His whole body slumped slightly in relief. "Since the night he tried to take your powers at the lakeside manor. He ordered me not to tell you or I would have. Whatever questions you may have, I'll answer them all right now."

Emma brought herself in close to him so their foreheads could touch. "You were trying to tell me earlier in the diner though, weren't you?"

"Aye. Belle saved me. She came in with the dagger and freed me. It seems she finally realized her husband's true nature."

Killian wrapped his arms around Emma slowly so as not to crush his newly returned heart. His hand and forearm drew Emma closer to him. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. Her fingers combed through the hair on the back of his head, holding it close to her. That action made Mary Margaret smile slightly. It was something Emma had picked up from her father.

The moment tipped closer and closer toward something that required privacy. As the other two, whispered to each other, Mary Margaret backed down the steps, unsure that her daughter even remembered that they came to the clock tower together.

It only took ten or so minutes for Emma and Killian to emerge. The strange bulge in Killian's jacket led Mary Margaret to believe that he had stored his heart there. Emma announced that she needed to ask Regina exactly how to return Killian's heart. She had neglected that lesson when she taught Emma about stealing hearts back in Neverland.

It was time to give Killian back his heart; though Mary Margaret mused it had not belonged to him for quite some time now.

* * *

Learning about The Author and his mysterious library was adding more confusion to Emma's already overloaded brain. The giant warehouse of storybooks created a whole list of questions none of them had answers to. There was something nagging in the back of Emma's mind before they entered the lakeside manor. It kept making her aware of some mystery she had not yet unraveled. Everything with Ingrid was cleared up. Between the bottled letter and the returned memories, there was nothing Emma felt she misunderstood.

The circumstances with Rumple were a little less clear, but still fairly cut-and-dried. He had acquired a magic hat that could cut his connection to the dagger. It had needed to be charged up with magic. Killian had been feeding information to him. He even was forced to be present at the spell's inception.

And that was it.

Emma felt as though the car had tilted. It initially had not occurred to her that Killian had been doing more than spying or trying to distract the heroes. What if he had been minutes from death when she found him? Ever since that night at the lakeside manor Killian had kissed her with this desperate edge Emma had not been able to decipher. He had been treating each time they parted as though it was their last goodbye because it very well might have been.

"Regina, if you were casting a big curse you wouldn't have anyone around unless they were necessary, right?" Emma asked, already knowing and hating the answer.

Regina was driving them home so she couldn't turn around to face Emma. She settled for making eye contact in the rearview mirror. Henry shifted in the passenger seat so he could see both women as they talked.

"I suppose. There's less of a chance of interference," she responded.

Emma grimaced. "And a spell like the one on that hat, it seems like it would require a big sacrifice like maybe a heart."

Regina's forehead crinkled in thought. It was apparent the second she figured out just what Emma was asking. She laughed without any trace of humor in her voice.

"I wouldn't put it past him or that spell. He did use the hat to kill all the fairies."

Emma's heart convulsed painfully. With everything else going on she had almost forgotten about the dead fairies. It was a sure thing that Killian had been forced to kill them. As Captain Hook, Killian had killed before, but these were innocents, people he knew and liked. Emma could not imagine how agonizing that had been for him.

Henry cleared his throat. "I think we need to rest a little before hitting Operation Mongoose hard. Mom and I can meet you for lunch tomorrow at noon. We can discuss strategy and figure out what all we already know. You should update Killian and invite him to join us."

Regina and Emma made eye contact in the mirror. The former queen arched an eyebrow in question at the Savior. Emma hated talking about her feelings, revealing just how vulnerable she was underneath it all. This would not be just some quick chat, but a thorough examination of emotions.

"Yeah, let's do that. Can you drop me at Granny's?" The words fell out of her mouth despite her unease.

The whole way back Emma replayed the timeline of the last few weeks in her head. Every time a new puzzle piece slotted into place the ache in her heart intensified. Her mental excavation of the evidence revealed layer after layer of how much trouble Killian had been in. The worst part by far had been the moment she realized that Killian almost died with her looking on. Emma was the Savior, a title Killian believed one hundred percent that she deserved. He had to watch her freeze, so close yet unable to do the one thing her title proclaimed she could.

Knowing Killian had been that close to death and that she had been powerless to stop it was what finally caused Emma's tears to fall.

* * *

Killian pulled back from Emma. His lungs were starting to protest their current lack of air. He was not sure how long it had been since Emma had given his heart back and they started kissing, but it was not long enough. That kiss was everything he needed to tell Emma. It was proof he was still alive, a declaration of love, a promise, and a 'hello' all rolled into one.

Emma was also breathing heavily. She leaned almost all of her weight on the wall behind her. "We probably shouldn't be making out here."

Killian knew it was a long shot, but he had almost died so the risk seemed worth it. "My temporary residence is close by. It's much more private."

Emma shook her head with a smirk. "As tempting as that sounds, I should probably go check on Regina. She had to watch Robin cross the town line earlier. It would be selfish to go with you."

Killian hated that she was leaving, but nodded in understanding. "Well if you decide to be selfish later or that your obligations have been fulfilled, come by."

Emma brushed his lips with hers one last time. "I'll keep that in mind. Breakfast tomorrow at Granny's? Call me when you get up and we can go over all of your extracurricular activities from the last couple weeks."

Killian tried to hide his grimace. Telling Emma, while necessary, would not be fun. It was like when the ship doctor had been forced to cauterize his forearm after he lost his hand. In the long run it had kept out infection and promoted healing, but in that moment it had been so excruciating it made him want to punch everything in sight.

In the end he agreed to a breakfast slash debriefing date, no matter how painful he knew it would be. They went their separate ways, though Killian wanted nothing more to follow Emma. He was absolutely exhausted, which Emma had pointed out as she left him. It seemed his almost death had taken a lot out of him. Killian was starting to feel every one of his three hundred some odd years.

It felt like mere seconds, a quick blink of his eyes, between when Killian went to bed and when he was woken up. The rapping was so light that he was not sure at first that it was at his door. It soon grew in volume, prompting Killian to get out of bed.

The door opened to reveal Emma. The light of the hallway almost made it too hard to look at her, notice what was different. It did not take Killian long to see how her eyes were watery and red-rimmed. He could tell from the tilt of her chin that she was trying to be brave, be strong like always. Killian stepped back into his dark room, allowing Emma to pass him so they could shut the door. The moon was the only thing lighting the room.

The dark seemed to calm Emma down some. Killian figured it was because she could not see his face.

"I failed you," Emma whispered.

Of all the things he thought she might say, that was not even on the list. Killian felt his eyebrows knit together in confusion. He could not see Emma's face since he had shut the door, but he could hear the agony in her voice.

"You didn't fail me, love," Killian stated, injecting as much certainty into his voice as he could.

Emma scoffed. "Well I didn't save you either. Isn't that what I'm supposed to do? Save people?"

Killian's newly returned heart broke a little at that. "You helped. The Crocodile had his claws in my heart just as his wife appeared. Seconds later and I would have been dead. You distracted him and that gave Belle the time to get to me. It might seem like a small thing, but it was enough."

"What if it isn't next time? What if I can't save you or my parents or Henry?" Emma asked with frustration evident in her voice.

"I still have yet to see you fail. You're extraordinary."

Killian reached for her. His hand grabbed air twice before finding Emma's arm. He used it to gently guide her into his arms. He held onto her for several moments. He was able to feel the shaking that she had been hiding from him.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked.

Or maybe he was the one shaking. The reality of his almost death was finally catching up with him. If it had happened he would not be holding Emma in that moment. Every second they now had together was a gift Belle had given them.

"It's been a very overwhelming day. I thought I would die, then didn't. I thought I would never see you again, but I'm now holding you, safe and sound. I have so much to tell you about."

Emma yawned widely. Killian chuckled at how loud she was. It was something so normal in the midst of their not so normal chaos.

"Don't think that this gets you off the hook forever. I just need to recharge my brain a little. Tomorrow we can talk and think about things. Tonight I'm just going to be thankful you're still alive and enjoy it."

Killian smiled wryly. "Enjoy it how?"

Emma chuckled lightly. "Let's trying sleeping _next_ to each other before we try _sleeping_ together."

Killian pressed a light kiss to Emma's temple. "You're staying. That's enough for me."

Emma tightened her hold on Killian. Her fingers dug into the skin of his back then relaxed as she melted into their embrace. She yawned again.

"Bed time." Emma mumbled into Killian's shoulder.

Killian held her a little closer before he had to let go. "As you wish, love."

* * *

**So here's the thing. It seemed really weird to me that Emma's boyfriend (for all intents and purposes) almost died in front of her and she was totally normal about it. She's not into feelings, but still after the street scene I expected more of a reaction. That's why I had her not quite connecting that dot until later. **

**Also, Killian is standing when Emma and Mary Margaret are unfrozen, but I really liked the idea of him still kneeling when they found him. Forgive me.**

**Sorry there's no action between them. There are awesome things others have written. Plus, if I ever attempted writing smut it would probably end up being IKEA erotica.**

**I'm hoping to post some more one-shots during the hiatus (if I can come up with something). I did one a few weeks back and had fun doing that. **


	10. 4x10 (Fall): Get Out of Jail Free Card

**Important note about episode numbers: I had an anon reviewer inform me that Jane (one of the producers and writers for Once) tweeted that Smash the Mirror was technically just 4x08. The episode numbering seems to be something that not everyone agrees on. So I've gone back and forth on how I want to number my chapters going forward. In the end I decided to keep numbering them as though Smash the Mirror was both 4x08 and 4x09. This is how ABC has them numbered on their website and how the episodes were distributed through iTunes etc. If this changes in the future I will switch everything over. For now I will be putting the episode titles as the chapter titles and in the chapter headings themselves though to help clarify which episode I'm writing about.**

**So thank you Anon for making me aware of this issue because it is important given how I structure my fic. I really did mull this over for a long time, and I'm sorry I ended up staying. Also, thank you for being nice when you pointed this out. I really appreciated that. Not everyone is as polite as you were.**

_**4x10: Fall**_

* * *

Killian should have left already. Emma watched as he settled in behind Regina and Henry. He stood far enough back to be polite, yet close enough to let Emma know he was waiting for her. His expression was remarkably patient, like he had all the time in the world. It annoyed Emma that he was so calm when she was feeling anything but. She needed to focus on the task at hand: Henry's safety.

The curse was coming. She was leading the charge as The Savior once again. In order to defeat the Snow Queen they would need to divide and conquer. She would be separated from her parents and Killian as they tried to end the spell. Regina wanted to take Henry with her, but Emma was not okay with that. Under ordinary circumstances Regina was the obvious choice for Henry's protector. She was the best with magic and was willing to do almost anything to ensure his survival. The rub was that this particular spell was designed to make people hate each other. Henry needed to be with someone who was wouldn't lash out at him, someone immune.

In the end it was Henry who convinced her. Emma was almost there with Regina's promise to be around only as long as it was safe for Henry. She knew that when push came to shove the former queen would send Henry somewhere safe if the curse was about to start. Plus, Emma might put him directly in the path of the Snow Queen. Henry's affirmation that he would be okay was what truly made Emma think things would be alright for him.

Killian was at Emma's side as soon as Regina and Henry walked away. He did not touch her, just angled his body so he could look at her as they walked.

"Would it be possible for me to share your conveyance back into town? It's a long trek back to the docks and you would get me halfway there in little time."

Emma pressed her lips together to keep herself from smiling. Everything he was saying was very logical, but she could not help feeling that he was doing this to spend a little more time together. Emma was okay with that. She was not looking forward to this curse separating them if it did fall. This car ride wouldn't distract from their mission. She would even drive a touch over the speed limit to prove he wouldn't slow her down.

"This whole thing sucks," Emma stated. She bumped her shoulder into Killian's, wanting a little bit of contact.

"Aye, it does indeed _suck_," Killian parroted the word back, making Emma snort.

They reached the car and climbed in. Elsa was right behind them. If she was upset about being relegated to the backseat, it did not show. It probably helped that Killian did not steer the conversation in the car. In fact, he didn't say a word the whole drive. Elsa and Emma went over everything they had learned thus far. Killian spent the ride with his only hand crossed over his body so it could hold onto one of Emma's.

When Emma parked her car in front of the pawn shop Elsa immediately bolted from the car. Emma wasn't sure if it was eagerness to continue their investigation or to allow them some privacy. She leaned over and gave her boyfriend a quick kiss.

"Good luck. Call me if you find anything," Emma said before attempting to leave the car.

Killian's hand darted out to lightly rest on her shoulder. "Shouldn't we say goodbye, love?"

Emma's forehead crinkled in confusion. "We still have all day to break the spell."

Killian averted his eyes and played with the tip of his hook. His fingers danced over the cool metal. Emma's superpower was the ability to spot a lie not to read minds, but in that instant she knew what Killian wanted to ask her.

_What if we don't get a chance to say goodbye?_

Emma leaned in a kissed him soft and slow. Killian didn't try to rush her or push for a deeper kiss. Instead his hand gently cupped the side of her face. His fingers nestled in the hair just behind her ear while his thumb made lazy circles on her cheek.

Emma pulled back and looked Killian straight in the eyes. It was sometimes hard to think with the full intensity of his gaze directed at her, but she managed.

"I'm not saying 'goodbye' until I absolutely have to."

Killian's eyes crinkled at the corners. He removed his hand from Emma's cheek to pick up one of her hands. He flipped it over so the palm faced him as he, without any trace of irony, kissed the skin there. Emma's heart fluttered a little. She was still unused to this level of attention, romantic or not, from another person.

It was tempting to stay with him and count down the hours until the curse hit. That was not Emma's style though. She needed to fight back and make sure her loved ones would be alright.

Plus, if all went according to plan they would have some uninterrupted quality time very soon.

* * *

"You call Henry and Regina. Neal and I'll call Emma," Mary Margaret told her husband.

They had just agreed upon their best course of action for enduring the curse. The jail cells in the sheriff's office would allow them to be together, but unable to harm each other. If True Love's Kiss, their perennial Get out of Jail Free card, worked then it would be easy to use. Mary Margaret figured their odds were fifty-fifty for it to work. True Love's Kiss required both parties to be in love. It didn't work after Mary Margaret had used that memory potion because she no longer loved her husband. If the spell made them hate each other, then the kiss had a chance for failure.

Mary Margaret tried not to dwell on the 'failure' part as she called her daughter. The line went straight to voicemail. She kept it brief, but conveyed that they had a plan and needed Emma at the sheriff's station. David was still on the phone with Henry and Regina when Mary Margaret finished. She thought over whether there was anyone else she needed to contact.

A name came to mind instantly, but Mary Margaret was not entirely sure if it was her place. Would this be way overstepping boundaries?

Mary Margaret found the contact in her phone and began the call before she could talk herself out of it. She chewed the side of her thumbnail as she waited for the beep.

"Killian? Hi, it's Mary Margaret. Emma's going to be meeting up with us at the sheriff's office just before the curse hits. I just, well, I just thought maybe you'd like to know in case you wanted to say goodbye to Emma. We've got– um let me check my watch – somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty minutes left. No pressure to show up obviously, I figured she wouldn't tell you because I mean you know how Emma is and I would want to know and make the decision myself instead of-"

Mary Margaret pulled her phone away from her face. The beep that cut her off was really loud. She rolled her eyes at the offending device. The mechanical voice on the other end asked if she wanted to keep her message or record it again. An exasperated sigh escaped her lips as she hit the 'stop' button. She had bigger things to worry about than how ridiculous she sounded in a voicemail.

* * *

Killian's heart damn near burst out of his chest. His phone rang seconds after Emma and company closed the door to the diner. He was moments from being discovered by them. Mary Margaret's name flashed across the screen.

Killian let the phone keep ringing. He had learned that trick from watching Regina with her phone. She called it 'screening.' A single beep alerted him to the fact that he had a new voicemail. It seemed like a long time had passed since he received the call, but Killian shrugged it off.

Mary Margaret's voice was breathy and high-pitched in his ear. It took several times replaying the message until Killian understood the whole thing. It numbed him so deeply he almost did not notice the text he had received from Emma.

**I failed. Get to your hiding place and STAY THERE.**

A flood of guilt swept like acid through his gut. It churned there as he processed the fact that Emma blamed herself solely for the spell making landfall.

A second message popped up.

**Please don't die.**

The guilt he felt soon morphed into anger. The Crocodile made him destroy the fairies. If Killian had been in full possession of himself, he could have helped not hurt Emma's mission. He knew exactly what was going on and had been made an accomplice to it all. He was done with this whole thing. The hat was now full. It was time for Killian to bargain for his freedom.

All seemed to be going to plan when he found the Crocodile. Killian demanded the return of his heart and his freedom along with it. He had forgotten one key thing though: his role in the Crocodile's spell. His hours, not days, were numbered now. The time would go by so quickly.

Killian made the decision then. He had mere hours to live and this could very well be the last time he had with Emma. If the roles were reversed, it would devastate him if she was not able to say goodbye. This act would give them both some closure.

And if he was being totally honest with himself, Killian's final request was to have one last kiss with the woman he loved.

* * *

**I finally figured out what I wanted to do with this one. There were so many lovely things written about the kiss that I decided not to even touch it :)**

**Thank you to LexieMcSteamy, Nouqueret, onetreefan, Guest, and lizardgoddesss for reviewing! Also, thank you to everyone who followed/favorited the story.**


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